Unseen Forces
by Shedemei
Summary: Trigon is trapped forever, and Raven and Starfire are finally together...right? Complete!
1. Unbidden

Unseen Forces

Chapter One: Unbidden

Summary: It has finally happened. Robin and Starfire are dating, and Raven finds herself battling jealousy. When Robin becomes over-possessive of Starfire, is there anything Raven can do to help? Possible shoujo-ai.

Disclaimer: If I owned Teen Titans, there would be a way for Raven to force Trigon to leave her alone forever, Beast Boy would have a moped, Terra would be alive (but not paired off with Beast Boy), there would be more episodes with Blackfire in them, and Slade would NOT be working for Trigon. So needless to day, I don't own the show.

Pairings: RobStar, maybe RaeStar later

Author's Notes: You asked for it: another RaeStar fic. Maybe. We'll see. And no, I don't hate Robin, he just can go crazy sometimes and I made him even crazier than usual.

* * *

Starfire tossed her luscious fall of auburn hair and giggled happily. She'd been doing that more often than usual lately, for tonight she would have her first real date with Robin. She was currently watching TV, waiting impatiently for the time when she could begin the preparations for her date.

Across the room, Raven hovered cross-legged about two feet off the ground, reading. At the sound of Starfire's laugh, a familiar warmth swelled in the pit of her stomach. She forced it down, reminding herself that Starfire was laughing for Robin, and the particular emotion that caused the laugh would never be directed at anyone besides Robin. Raven closed her book and teleported back to her room, where her diary lay at the foot of her bed. She flipped to a fresh page and slipped a pen out of the clever pocket in the leather-bound book's spine. She dated the page and began to write. Her diary was entirely in Azarathean, just in case one of the other Titans (somehow) snooped.

_It finally happened. Robin asked Starfire out. The boy has it so bad for her it's funny. And Starfire lives for him now._

_If I allowed myself to feel, I'd be jealous. Not of Starfire. Of Robin. My stomach starts feeling incredibly odd—in a good way—whenever Starfire's around, and it's getting very irritating. These annoying feelings have been around for a while; they have to fade soon. This must be a phase, anyway. There is no such thing as love; "I love you" is a fancy, polite way of saying "I want to screw you."_

_It's a good thing I'm the empath, not Starfire. God knows how disgusted she'd be if she could sense these stupid emotions._

Raven closed her journal and replaced the pen. She folded her legs and rose into the air, beginning her mantra. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos…"

* * *

Raven's empathic abilities were heightened during meditation. Which was why she felt the light waves of eagerness and impatience rather than heard the knock at her door. She lowered herself to the bed, and got up to cross the room.

Starfire's golden-skinned face peered at her from the hallway. "Greetings, friend! Will you please assist me?"

"Depends on what."

"I need your help securing my hair into an acceptable style for my date with Robin." Her voice trailed off dreamily over the last word, and Raven restrained a grimace. But this was important to Starfire, and it would give Raven an excuse to play with her hair.

"All right, but I'm not promising anything," Raven said for the sake of appearances. She slid the door fully open and stepped outside.

Starfire looked gorgeous enough to hurt your eyes.

Her dress was a lush, vivid indigo, made of a silklike material that clung to her every curve and line. The hemline hung to a few inches above her knees, exposing the alien's long, shapely legs. The dress was a spaghetti-strap with a scoop neck, dipping almost daringly low. She sported sleek white sandals that accentuated the alluring color of her Tamaranian skin. But most attractive of all were Starfire's emerald eyes, which shone from within with every ounce of happiness and anticipation the young Titan was feeling.

_In Azar's name, why does she torture me this way?_ Raven thought, lowering her gaze to her own thin white legs to prevent herself from staring at Starfire's beauty.

"Follow me!" Starfire skipped off, and Raven paced behind her. Starfire led Raven into her bedroom and then into her bathroom, where she stood in front of a mirror.

"Raven would you please arrange my hair in some attractive way?"

Raven buried her hands in the red-gold silk. "How do you want it?"

"Oh, whatever you think Robin would like."

Of course.

The hybrid selected a brush from Starfire's vanity. "I'm not sure how this will turn out, but you'll look pretty no matter what I do." She gently worked the brush through the few snarls in Starfire's mane. Then, clenching the brush handle between her teeth, she took a small section of hair from each of Starfire's temples and braided them one by one, joining the two plaits with a ribbon at the crown of the alien's head. She carefully wove the ribbon into a final braid that stemmed from the junction of the first two braids and reached all the way down Starfire's back. Raven secured the final plait with a violet hairtie.

Starfire examined the hairdo in the mirror. "A crown of braids! Glorious!" She squeezed Raven in a friendly hug. The violet-eyed girl had time to gently nuzzle the alien's shoulder before she let go. "Thank you, Raven." She smiled joyfully at her reflection. Raven made the mistake of looking into Starfire's mirror as well. Next to Starfire's golden/bronze-skinned, practically glowing face, Raven found her limp purple hair and ashen face almost unbearably hideous. She turned away from the mirror, surprised she hadn't cracked it, either from her powers or her ugliness.

Starfire beamed at her flawless reflection. "Do you think Robin believes me beautiful?"

"He'd be blind if he didn't think you were beautiful," the mage pointed out.

The taller girl didn't notice that the queen of sarcasm had paid her a sincere compliment. She giggled childishly, and took some clear lipgloss from her vanity and began to apply it to her already-perfect lips. (Raven had explained to her the ways of earthly makeup.)

Raven saw that Starfire had no further use for her, so she left. She remained in her room, reading and meditating, until Robin and Starfire had departed.

* * *

An hour or two later, Raven sensed Robin's aura and Starfire's aura enter the tower. But one of them was incredibly frustrated, and one was uneasy. Though Raven knew it was none of her business, she decided to check the situation out anyway.

When Raven walked into Central Operations, even she, the ice queen, had trouble not letting out a startled gasp.

Robin was gripping the front of Starfire's silk dress, speaking to her in a low voice—almost like a growl—that sounded patently furious. Starfire was reaching up, trying to calm Robin, to persuade him to let go of her. Her aura was tainted with waves of fear.

"Something wrong?" Raven queried, stating the obvious.

"Starfire and I need to talk," Robin replied woodenly. Starfire made a sound that might have been conjectured as a whimper.

"Maybe you should talk when you've calmed down a little bit," Raven fractionally raised an eyebrow. "You're scaring Starfire."

"How do you know?" Robin snapped.

In reply, Raven simply tapped one temple with a pair of fingers.

"Fine. We'll talk about this later," Robin said roughly, letting go of the front of Starfire's dress and stalking off.

Starfire leaned against the wall, trembling slightly, rearranging the mussed scoop neck of her dress. "Robin frightens me so when he's like this." She turned to the side, pressing her arms and her face to the cold white surface.

"You can hug me instead of the wall, if you want," Raven commented in her usual monotone.

Starfire obeyed, throwing her arms around the telepath hard enough to break ribs. Raven lightly ran a hand over the alien's shoulder blades, trying to soothe her.

"Robin's just in a bad mood," Raven informed Starfire matter-of-factly. "He'll come around." She hesitated. "He loves you." Her last words were said rather quietly.

"Are you sure?" Starfire inquired.

"Yes." Raven found herself unable to resist resting her head on the alien's shoulder. Starfire laid her cheek against the smaller girl's forehead, still shaking lightly.

"But Raven, Robin claimed I was 'flirting' with a waiter. I haven't seen him so angry since he believed Slade was attacking him. You don't believe…you don't believe Robin would hurt me, do you?"

"He might be angry for a little while, but once you explain…what did happen anyway?"

Raven felt Starfire shake her head. "I…I am not sure. The waiter set down the glasses of water and winked at me. I thought I should be friendly, so I smiled and waved back. For the rest of the dinner, Robin continued…questioning me…about it, and I thought I convinced him I was merely being gracious. But when we left, the waiter called me 'sweet stuff,' and I giggled, and Robin…Robin became very angry."

Raven sighed. "He's being even more touchy than usual. He'll come around."

Starfire exhaled gustily and let go of the empath. "Thank you, friend Raven. Of course, you're right." She gave Raven another quick hug. "You're such a wonderful friend!" she squealed, back to her old self again. Raven felt the soft warmth rise deep in her abdomen again at the sight of Starfire's smile. She glanced away.

"It's nothing. That's what friends are for." Raven knew she sounded flat and impersonal. It didn't matter, though; Starfire was already waltzing off. She had just needed Raven to convince her that everything would be just fine between her and Robin. Which, of course, it would be, and Raven would remain wallpaper as far as Starfire was concerned.

Starfire floated off to her room to change, leaving Raven standing alone in Ops.

* * *

Raven had come to hate the night.

The darkness used to be her companion; it had held her and kept her secrets and wasn't disgusted or frightened by her. But now the blackness of her room at night seemed distant, as if it didn't want to touch her.

At night, Raven felt very much alone.

When trying to fall asleep, Raven could wrap herself in six layers of blankets and still feel cold. The moon outside her window shone faintly, its lopsided face seeming to frown at her. If Raven closed her eyes, she could almost feel the darkness stalking her, like a friend turned enemy.

And all of this made it rather difficult to sleep.

But on this particular night, Raven's struggle to fall asleep was interrupted by a voice at her door.

"Friend Raven?"

Raven sat up blearily. Starfire was at her door—was this a dream?

"Are you awake?"

Raven stumbled out of bed. "No, I'm asleep," she commented sardonically. She staggered to the door and opened it. Starfire hovered in the doorway, wringing her hands.

"What's wrong, Star?" Raven queried, an edge of concern creeping into her voice.

Starfire gulped slightly. "I am worried. I confronted Robin earlier today and he said he would rather talk…somewhere 'private' later. The way he said it…frightened me…please, may I stay with you the rest of the night?"

"Why me?" Raven forced herself not to sound hopeful.

"You never allow anyone in your room…Robin would not think to look for me here."

Of course. It didn't matter that it was Raven that Starfire was asking for help; the alien just wanted a good place to hide.

"Raven, I know you dislike having others in your room, but I am afraid of what Robin will do to me since he is in this strange mood."

"He's smitten with you. He isn't going to hurt you. You'll be fine." Raven began to close the door.

"Raven, please!" Starfire begged, seizing Raven by the shoulders. "You did not see the look on Robin's face! I know you do not want me inside your room, but _please!_"

Raven hesitated. If this was a dream, then she might as well milk it. And it probably was a dream, because there was no way Robin could be so angry at Starfire that she had to resort to hiding in Raven's bedroom.

"You can stay."

"Thank you so much!" Starfire cried, floating into Raven's darkened room. "Raven, do you have an extra blanket I can use?"

"Aren't sheets enough?"

"I presumed I would be sleeping on the floor."

"I wouldn't ask you to sleep on the floor. You can sleep in my bed if you want."

"You would not mind?"

"We're friends." Raven replied simply.

"Thank you," the Tamaranian sighed. She twisted her hands again, seeming afraid, though she was safe for the time being.

"Starfire, do you want me to help you meditate? It might make you feel better."

The alien nodded. She sat, hovering in the air, and crossed her legs. Raven stood behind her. "Now, find your center." The empath lightly placed her fingertips at the base of Starfire's neck. Since she didn't have much experience with meditation, she would need help unwinding. "I'll manipulate your pressure points to help you relax and focus."

Starfire nodded once more.

"Let's try something different than last time. Do you know what a candle flame looks like? Yellow outside, mauve inside, with a black spot in the middle?"

"Yes."

"Good, now close your eyes and picture a candle flame. Focus on only the black spot in the center, until the blackness surrounds you."

"I will."

"Now, concentrate." Raven began kneading Starfire's pressure points. Starfire sighed and Raven felt the tension slowly seep from the alien's body. Something like fifteen minutes later, Starfire opened her eyes.

"Better?"

The taller girl nodded rather listlessly. She got up and stumbled; Raven caught her. "Maybe that's a little too relaxed." She helped the redheaded girl into bed and covered her with the sheets. "Are you okay?"

"I am well. Just tired."

Raven slipped under the covers. To her surprise, she felt Starfire's fingers wrap around her left hand.

_Yep, this is definitely a dream._

"So I guess Tamaranians are pretty affectionate."

"You do not mind, do you?"

"No." Raven gently placed other her hand over Starfire's.

"Friend, I thought you were opposed to most forms of physical contact, even between companions."

"I'm making an exception."

"But why?"

_I care about you. I want to be close to you._ "Just making sure you're okay."

"I am all right now, thanks to you."

"Good."

Starfire squeezed Raven's hand lightly in response. Raven closed her eyes in silent happiness, though still confused by the larger girl's affection. Of course, she still had a difficult time not destroying anything with her powers.

"Pleasant dreams, Raven."

_I'm already dreaming._ "You too, Star."


	2. Falling Star

Unseen Forces

Chapter Two: Falling Star

Summary: It has finally happened. Robin and Starfire are dating, and Raven finds herself battling jealousy. When Robin becomes over-possessive of Starfire, is there anything Raven can do to help? Possible shoujo-ai.

Disclaimer: If I owned Teen Titans, there would be a way for Raven to force Trigon to leave her alone forever, Beast Boy would have a moped, Terra would be alive (but not paired off with Beast Boy), there would be more episodes with Blackfire in them, and Slade would NOT be working for Trigon. So needless to day, I don't own the show.

Pairings: RobStar, maybe RaeStar later

Author's Notes: I know, after so much time on Earth, Starfire should know more about Earth customs. But in order for this chapter to work, she has to be concerned about her own ignorance of Earthly ways.

* * *

When Raven woke, she was still tightly clasping Starfire's hand. She held very still, thinking that maybe she was hallucinating. 

She was wrong; Starfire's soft hair brushing Raven's shoulders, and her slender fingers twined within the telepath's were very real.

_She _is_ torturing me. She's so close, but at the same time, she might as well be back on Tamaran._

A sharp shattering sound accompanied this thought; Starfire's eyes snapped open as glass shards cascaded down over the two girls.

"Raven?" Starfire's voice rose in panic. Raven patted the other Titan's back gently. "It's all right. That was my fault. I won't let it happen again."

"I was having a nightmare," Starfire whispered.

"About what?"

"Robin…turned on me, because he thought I was being disloyal." She clung to Raven to steady herself. Raven calmly laid her hands on the Tamaranian's shoulders, trying to soothe her.

"Don't worry. Robin wouldn't hurt you if someone paid him a million dollars."

"Someone paid Robin a million dollars to hurt me?"

"It's just an expression, Star. And if you get scared again…you can always talk to me, if you want."

"Many thanks, Raven."

"Please don't recite the Poem of Gratitude now."

"I will not. But I still thank you for giving me sanctuary."

"What else would I have done?"

Starfire didn't reply.

"You should probably go to breakfast first, and then I'll follow you after about fifteen minutes so it doesn't look like I was hiding you. And you can work out this thing with Robin."

"Very well," Starfire said rather listlessly.

"Starfire, are you okay? You're a little apprehensive. I can sense it."

"I do not know what this means, 'apprehensive.' But I am wondering what to say to Robin."

"The truth. He's still your one and only." Raven was unable to dispel the traces of bitterness from her voice.

Starfire nodded, and smiled tremulously. "Raven, would you please go to breakfast first? I would like you to be there while I speak with Robin."

"Why?"

"I would feel more secure with you there."

"Um…okay. I'll go now then."

"Thank you." Starfire's voice was barely audible.

Ignoring the fact that she was supposed to be the cold, impersonal one, Raven reached out and lightly touched the other girl's shoulder. "Get a grip; you'll be fine." She stood, adjusting her cloak. "Follow me in about fifteen minutes."

"I will."

Raven departed, walking to the Titans' kitchen. It was quiet, because Cyborg and Beast Boy were still asleep, and so weren't having their timeless tofu vs. bacon argument. But Robin was already there, making himself toast.

The empath summoned a cereal bowl and a box of granola from the cabinets, and poured a small amount into her bowl. She proceeded to the pantry to retrieve her customary herbal tea, waiting for Robin to address her.

"You don't say 'good morning?'" The Titans' leader queried.

"There is no such thing as a good morning," Raven pointed out, finding her box of tea leaves.

"Did you just get up?"

"Yes. Why?"

"So you haven't seen Starfire."

"No, I haven't," Raven lied smoothly, turning on the stove to boil the water she would need. "Is she MIA?"

"I can't find her." Robin frowned.

"She has to be around here somewhere," Raven pointed out. "Where did you look?"

Starfire arrived in the kitchen twenty minutes later, acting jaunty and bubbly and generally unafraid.

Robin's eyes narrowed when she floated inside. "Starfire, I looked for you last night. Where were you?"

"Nowhere," Starfire said brightly, digging through the refrigerator for her Tamaranian food.

"Did you leave the tower?" Robin asked, rather harshly.

"Ah…yes. I was having difficulty sleeping and decided to take a walk."

"What time did you get back?"

"Late," the alien replied breezily, but Raven could sense an edge of anxiety in her tone. _You're doing fine, Star. Keep it up._

"Where did you go?"

"Um…" Starfire hesitated.

"Robin, do you think Starfire likes being interrogated?" Raven interrupted. "If she wants to take a walk, she can take a walk. She probably flew, really, but the point is, it's her life."

"Yes, and perhaps we could just talk now?" Starfire said hurriedly to Robin.

Robin nodded briefly. "We do need to talk, Star." His expression softened. "Let's go to Ops to talk. Cyborg and Beast Boy aren't there yet."

Starfire grinned happily and slipped her hand into Robin's. Raven watched silently as they walked out.

_I thought she said she wanted me there when she talked to Robin_.

* * *

"Raven, glorious news!" Starfire squealed as she bolted into the kitchen. "Robin is no longer angry with me!" She clapped her hands like a giddy child. Raven nearly smiled; Starfire was herself again. "Thank you for all your help and advice!" 

"So are you two going out again anytime soon?"

"Without interference, tonight!" the alien giggled.

"Tonight? That was fast," Raven stated.

Starfire threw her arms around the telepath's neck.

"Starfire, I'm trying to drink my tea," Raven protested, though she was certainly not in any way opposed to their current position.

The taller girl withdrew. "I apologize…but I am still grateful."

"Any time."

"Star? Are you in there?" Robin called.

"Starfire flew from the kitchen to wrap her boyfriend in a tight hug. She was interrupted, though, by the Titans' alarm violently going off.

"Titans, trouble!" Robin shouted.

"You think?" Raven commented.

Beast Boy staggered into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. His green hair was sticking up at rather comical angles. "Dude, what bad guy is bothering people this early?" the Titans' resident comedian grumbled.

"I don't know, but we'd better get on it," Robin stated severely.

"Yo, a butt-kicking before breakfast?" Cyborg complained, sauntering in.

"Apparently," Raven replied.

"Let's move, team!" Robin ordered.

The black-haired boy mounted his R-Cycle, Cyborg started up the T-Car, and Beast Boy transformed into an eagle. Starfire flew, of course. Rather than riding in the T-Car to conserve her energy, Raven took to the air beside Starfire.

"Raven, Starfire, can you see anything?" came the leader's voice over their communicators.

"Nothing yet, Robin," Starfire responded.

"Maybe not," Raven pointed out, indicating a far-off column of black smoke towards the northern side of the city.

"Beast Boy, recon," Robin commanded.

"My wings—I mean, my arms—are tired!" Beast Boy yelped with a human mouth. "I told you I need a moped!"

"I shall fly ahead instead," Starfire spoke up, increasing her speed to soar towards the pillar of smoke, her thick sheet of hair fluttering behind her like a flag. Being Tamaranian, she was able to reach the fire and return in a matter of seconds. And when she did, her attractive features were painted with confusion. "There…appears to be no villain," Starfire said haltingly.

"We got called out with no breakfast for a plain old fire?" Cyborg shouted.

"Not just any fire," Starfire slowly replied. "It burns, but does not consume. Perhaps…the work of one with ill intentions?"

"Maybe. Let's check it out," declared Robin.

It appeared that Starfire was right. One entire side of a large slablike edifice was entirely encased in smoke, but no dark smog billowed from other windows, and the fire didn't seem to be spreading at all.

"Okay team, let's get a closer look at this."

Cyborg alighted from the T-Car and strode towards the strange blaze while Starfire cautiously hovered closer. Without any warning, twin arrows of fire burst from the mass of flame at the two approaching Titans. Cyborg dodged the assailing fireball, but the other caught Starfire in the thigh, knocking the Tamaranian girl out of the air.

"Starfire!" Robin shouted. Raven dipped out of the air and caught Starfire with her powers before—using her own hands—gently placing the alien on the sidewalk. Starfire whimpered softly and clutched at her burned leg.

"Hold still. Let me see your leg."

The Tamaranian girl lay still, silent tears dripping down her cheeks.

"Please hurry, it hurts terribly!"

"I know. Shhh….I'll heal it as fast as I can."

Raven carefully removed Starfire' half-melted thigh-high boot and examined the burn. It was healable, but the shape of the wound was perfectly circular, throbbing red ringed with black; obviously made by a magical fire. The sight of the unnatural burn on her friend's leg almost made Raven wince. She leveled her right hand parallel to Starfire's scalded thigh and summoned her healing powers.

"Azarath, Metrion…Zinthos."

Starfire's gold-orange skin slowly lost its charred appearance, the blisters vanished, the reddish tone faded. The auburn-haired young woman sighed and relaxed. "Thank you."

"You are welcome."

Robin dismounted from his R-Cycle and bolted to Starfire's side. "Star, are you all right?" The dark-haired boy guided his hand into Starfire's.

"The fire that burned her was under the influence of a curse or spell. I healed it her leg, but she should still be careful," Raven replied. Robin ignored her and slipped his arms underneath Starfire and picked her up. The alien giggled and pressed her face into Robin's shoulder.

Raven lifted herself into the air and flew straight at the possessed fire.

"Watch it, Raven, that thing's going to shoot at you," Cyborg cautioned. Raven paid no heed to the warning and stayed her course. As she approached, the smoke abruptly vanished. Raven glanced down at the cement and saw a shimmering, curved line. Someone had cast a circle, a procedure necessary for many spells. She turned her gaze to the side of the ablaze building and was unable to suppress a sharp gasp.

Fiery inscriptions sizzled against the brick. They were in English, but the curves and points and plumes of the letters were painfully, unbearably familiar.

_**THE MESSAGE HAS BEEN DELIVERED. THERE WILL BE NO MORE WARNINGS.**_

Every "S" in the unholy graffiti was identical to the sign of Trigon, the symbol on Slade's forehead, the hidden marks on Raven's body.

"Raven? Dude, what's up with this fire?" Beast Boy queried.

Robin approached, still carrying his extraterrestrial girlfriend.

"Don't cross the circle," Raven said tonelessly.

Robin stopped. Even the fact that he was holding Starfire didn't stop him from recognizing the s-like characters.

"Slade," Robin growled. "Just when we think he's gone. If anything else happens, I _swear_…"

"Robin…" Starfire murmured gently, placing one hand on the masked boy's cheek.

Raven knew she should erase the words before anyone decided to ask about their meaning. "Lacarnum Inflamari Aqualisda Emagius Aireyex!" The spell had an odd visual effect; a sort of water-filled bubble appeared over the flaming letters, effectively smothering them with enchanted liquid. It was a powerful incantation only used for magical fires, and it worked. There was no trace of the unholy message on the wall.

The young mage turned to face her friends. "Let's go back to the Tower. We should get Starfire to the infirmary. I want to make sure whatever spell was on the fire won't affect her.

"What did the fire that tried to fry me say?" Cyborg wanted to know.

"I think Slade is going to try something soon." Raven responded evasively.

"We'll keep our eyes out then." Robin replied severely. "But Raven's right. We should get back. Starfire, are you okay with riding in the T-Car until we're sure you're all right?"

"Would it not be faster if Raven simply flew me back to the tower?" Starfire suggested. "That is, if she doesn't mind," she added hastily.

"I don't mind," Raven said, rather quietly.

"Then it's settled." Robin gently deposited Starfire in Raven's arms. "We'll see you two back at the tower."

The telepath rose into the air, holding Starfire close to protect her from the slipstream caused by flight. "You okay, Starfire?"

"Yes. My leg is no longer painful."

"Good."

"You have no objections to carrying me?"

"No." Raven lifted Starfire up slightly to rest alien's head on her shoulder.

"Perhaps after spending more time with friends, you are less opposed to physical contact."

"Actually…" Raven cuts herself off. _Starfire loves Robin, Starfire loves Robin, Starfire loves Robin._ "I think I've had more practice controlling my powers in this kind of situation. And there isn't much I can destroy up here unless an airplane flies too low."

Starfire laughed softly. Black magic shot out from Raven's eyes, reaching a few inches into the air. _Calm down! Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos._

"Friend? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." A disgustingly false statement, but obviously Raven couldn't say what was truly bothering her. And she didn't even want to think about the writing on the wall, to use a cliché. No more warnings. Soon, Trigon would attempt to take over her consciousness and force her to annihilate the material world. Raven shivered and pulled Starfire closer. Juxtaposed to this new development in the fulfillment of her destiny, her feelings for her Tamaranian teammate were a grain of sand compared to a vast ocean.

"Raven, what did the words in the wall say?"

_Am I not the only telepath here?_ "It was a warning from Slade." She didn't go into detail.

"Why would Slade want us to know if he is going to commit a crime?"

"To scare us. Or to drive Robin crazy."

"I still do not understand."

"Slade is twisted. Let's not talk about him."

"Agreed…he is the one person that can truly…how do you say?…'get to' Robin."

_It all just _has_ to come back to Robin, doesn't it?_

Luckily, the girls had reached the tower. Raven phased through the wall into the infirmary. She gently placed Starfire on the exam table and cast a circle around the alien girl's perch.

"Raven, what are you doing?"

"I have to examine you for harmful spells. I'll be right back." Raven teleported back to her room and retrieved one of her poultices from her cabinet of magical materials. She reappeared in the infirmary at Starfire's side. The telepath dipped two fingers into the gar and gently wiped the dark purple, sticky material onto Starfire's _ajna chakra_, the same place where Raven had her gem.

"If there is an unfriendly spell on you, the mixture will turn bright red," she explained.

Nothing happened.

"Good, you're safe." Raven removed the poultice from Starfire's forehead. The alien stood up.

"Thank you," said Starfire.

"You're welcome." Raven turned to leave. "I'm going to my room."

"Will you not stay with the rest of us for breakfast?"

"I already ate."

"Oh. Well…I will see you later, friend."

Raven hastened back to her room. She wanted to be near Starfire, but she knew if she stayed, she would either have to watch Robin and Starfire necking of be confronted by Robin about Slade's "message." And she wasn't particularly intrigued by either.

She struggled to meditate, but the fierce burning of Slade's words glared at her whenever she closed her eyes. So she picked up her latest novel and tried to read, but couldn't keep her mind on the story. It was interesting, of course; a retelling of an Azarathean myth about the exorcism of an evil spirit from a five-year-old boy. But the story kept making her wonder if there was any magic on Earth strong enough to exorcise her father all the way back to Hell. Then perhaps he wouldn't be able to affect her.

* * *

Robin took Starfire to a movie. 

Despite the fact that she and Robin had resolved their argument, Starfire was nervous. She realized that her dispute with Robin had resulted from her inability to fit smoothly into Earth culture. Sometimes Starfire felt completely lost and alone on this strange new planet. It seemed that no one could teach her Earthly ways; they expected her to learn on her own. And Starfire knew next to nothing about the Earth custom of dating. What if she made another mistake? What if Robin suddenly became angry with her for something she didn't even know she was doing wrong?

Would Robin even say what Starfire had done?

Starfire felt strangely nervous before her second date with Robin. She longed to ask someone, "I do not know the Earth dating customs. Please, will you help me?" But Beast Boy and Cyborg, being male, would not be much help. Starfire had considered consulting Raven, but the telepath could sometimes be so callous. Then again, she had allowed Starfire in her room.

But when Starfire had made the decision to talk to Raven, the Azarathean girl had already been asleep.

So when she and Robin departed for the cinema, Starfire still felt as if Gandorian Whip-Snakes were crawling in her stomach. Even Robin's warm hand in hers couldn't dispel the feeling. Starfire's mind continued to wander during the feature; over and over she reviewed everything she knew about Earth manners and social rules. Her range of knowledge was painfully narrow.

_Grant me the wisdom of Glorthrok the All-Seeing,_ Starfire prayed silently.

"Starfire?"

The alien girl jumped slightly. Robin was addressing her. The movie was over. Starfire had missed the entire thing.

Robin's face creased slightly. "Star, are you okay?"

Starfire giggled, trying not to sound forced. "Nothing is wrong, Robin." She leaned over and kissed her boyfriend's cheek. She could have sworn he blushed.

The two Titans exited, holding hands.

"So how was the movie?" Robin queried, squeezing the Tamaranian girl's hand gently.

"Quite enjoyable," Starfire replied, trying to remember the story.

"You want to get something to eat?" Robin offered.

"I am not hungry," Starfire responded airily.

"Not hungry? Are you sure? Usually you love Earth food."

Starfire helplessly searched her mind for something to say. Her stomach churned with violent anxiety. She leaned against Robin for support, yet at the same time she wanted to plead, "Take me home, I can no longer do this."

Surprised, Robin hugged Starfire. "What's wrong? Whatever it is, just say it."

_I am afraid of what you will say when I make a mistake, yet I cling to you. What am I doing? What else can I do?_

The opposite sides of Starfire's tugged brutally at her consciousness until she was worried that she would be ripped in half.

"Star…not breathing…" Robin gasped. The alien let go.

"I…apologize," she whispered.

"Starfire, what's the matter? Obviously, something is bothering you."

"Robin…may I please speak with you?"

"What about?" Edges of ice crept into Robin's tone. Starfire quelled a shiver.

"Perhaps we should simply go home. This does…not feel comfortable. I do not…"

"You don't want to date? Are you serious?" Robin pushed the red-haired girl off him, gripping her shoulders painfully hard.

"I do not know the Earth dating customs, it has nothing to do with you, Robin…" Starfire lightly rubbed the black-haired boy's shoulders, trying to soothe him.

Robin would not be placated. "It does have something to do with me, doesn't it?" Robin's grip tightened. "There's someone else, isn't there?"

"No, no one…Robin, please, you are hurting me!"

"Let's go home." Robin seized Starfire's wrist and led her to the R-Cycle, only letting go to don his helmet. "Get on."

Trembling, Starfire did. Despite Robin's closeness, Starfire felt as if she was surrounded by an impenetrable steel wall: horribly, sickeningly alone. Her stomach heaved and threatened to reject its contents. She choked in surprise as the R-Cycle leapt into motion. Robin steered among the other cars on the road, swerving dangerously. Starfire was forced to clutch him tightly, or else fall into the street. When they reached the tower, Robin again dragged her uncaringly through the corridors. Starfire thought briefly that the ground was tilting beneath her feet, the sky inverting; how could Robin be so furious? Had she violated some sacred Earth rule? Her mind skipped and stumbled as she struggled to remember the last time Robin had been this angry.

"Come here!" Robin pressed her violently against the wall and kissed her forcefully. Starfire moaned and whimpered, feeling hopelessly confused, trying futilely to push Robin away from her.

Once again, the fuming boy jerked Starfire down the hallway.

"Robin, please," Starfire gasped, blinking away streams of tears. "What are you doing?"

Robin turned to face her, his expression one of pure, cold rage.

"Since you want to break up, I might as well take what I can from you now."

* * *

Author's Notes: Dun dun dun! Yes I am so evil cutting you off…but if I didn't this chapter would have been really long… 

Apologies to RobStar fans. I am a fan of that pairing when it comes to the show, but not in this particular fic. But Robin did say that if _one _more thing happened…yeah. Poor Star…you will all have to wait and see what happens…(ducks sporks thrown by angry readers) HEY! I'm typing the next chappie as fast as I can!

Later!

Gothic Tiger


	3. Crime and Punishment

Unseen Forces

Chapter Three: Crime and Punishment

Summary: It has finally happened. Robin and Starfire are dating, and Raven finds herself battling jealousy. When Robin becomes over-possessive of Starfire, is there anything Raven can do to help? Possible shoujo-ai.

Disclaimer: If I owned Teen Titans, there would be a way for Raven to force Trigon to leave her alone forever, Beast Boy would have a moped, Terra would be alive (but not paired off with Beast Boy), there would be more episodes with Blackfire in them, and Slade would NOT be working for Trigon. So needless to day, I don't own the show.

Pairings: RobStar, maybe RaeStar later

Author's Notes: Robin has finally snapped. We all knew he would go crazy one day…poor Starfire.

* * *

Raven was asleep.

She had remained in her room all day, searching her books for a protection spell powerful enough to ward off Slade if he came after her again. Throughout the day, none of the other Titans had spoken to her, even though she hadn't emerged for meals or even for some herbal tea.

It was lucky her hunger woke her when it did.

She had, of course, been dreaming of Starfire.

"_Raven, I am not sure I understand these…'idiomatic expressions…'"_

"_It's easy, Starfire. I know you can understand it. What's one expression that you already know?" Raven prompted._

_Starfire thought. "There was the time when Cyborg wanted to 'kick the pigskin.' I never fully understood what that meant."_

_Raven couldn't help but smile, if very slightly. "A pigskin is a colloquial name for a football. Cyborg was saying he wanted to play football."_

"_But before he said that, he said that friend Beast Boy was a pig. Was he referring to Beast Boy's shape-shifting talents?"_

"_It's also insulting to call someone a pig." Raven explained. "On Earth, pigs are seen as greedy and unsanitary."_

_Starfire glanced out the window. "May we continue this lesson outside? I have always found Earth sunsets beautiful."_

_Raven stood. "Sure."_

_The two girls walked outside, circling the perimeter of the rocky island where the tower stood. Raven listed more idiomatic expressions for her alien friend's benefit. And Starfire was holding Raven's hand._

The empathic girl woke with a jolt so intense she wondered if she was about to have a heart attack. She shook her head to clear the last images of the dream from her brain. If she truly cared about Starfire, the best thing to do was never say what she really felt. It would only make Starfire uncomfortable.

Raven's stomach was cramped and empty, complaining for food. She sighed with irritation before realizing what the other reason she had woken up was.

Someone's aura was giving off vibes of terror so intense Raven almost shook. She recognized the aura instantly: Starfire. And the nearby miasma of unadulterated fury was Robin.

Oh, crap.

Raven leapt into the air, throwing the door open with her powers. She soared down the hallway so quickly she felt the wind sting her eyes. She wished she could teleport; she did not know exactly where Starfire was.

But she was getting close.

A wave of terror that was almost nausea slammed into her mind as she alit in front of Starfire's room. Fearing the worst, she flung the door open with enough force to shake the walls.

Robin had pushed Starfire down onto her mattress and was straddling her, one hand creeping under her skirt, the other covering the Tamaranian's mouth. Starfire's top was rent shamefully down the front, and Robin had already torn off his cape and shirt, but the situation could have been much, much worse.

Raven reacted instantly. "Azarath, Metrion, ZINTHOS!" The spell threw Robin into the wall. Raven reached out with a tendril of black magic and pulled Starfire to her. The alien cowered behind Raven, weeping inconsolably into her shoulder.

"Raven…what the hell?" Robin demanded, standing up. His chest heaved angrily, slick with sweat.

"I can't believe you." Raven spat. Hot anger boiled in her stomach. Inanimate objects began exploding. "You claim to love Starfire, but then you do this!" A lamp shattered into miniscule pieces as Raven screamed the last word. Starfire whimpered.

"Why wasn't she fighting?" Robin snarled.

"I haven't sensed such strong fear in _years_. And her powers depend on her emotions. She can't use them when you've scared the living hell out of her!"

Raven almost never used profanity, but this seemed an appropriate time.

"This doesn't concern you," growled Robin.

An extra pair of merciless red eyes sprouted beneath Raven's first two. Her powers had run out of nonliving things to destroy. Robin was blasted violently off his feet and into the room's back wall. He dropped to the ground and lay still. Raven took a few deep breaths, regaining control.

"Let's go, Starfire." Raven gently guided the shaking girl into the hallway. "You can sleep in my room."

Starfire's knees gave, her legs trembling too much to support her body. Raven picked her up and the red-haired girl threw her arms around Raven's neck, making noises like a lost puppy. The mage carried Starfire into her room and carefully set her on the floor.

"Raven, please…" Starfire couldn't seem to find the right words.

Raven closed and locked the door, and then knelt at Starfire's side. "You're safe. It's okay."

The alien leaned against Raven, shivering so hard her teeth chattered. "I was so frightened…Robin…I never thought he would…"

"Shhh. I'll help you meditate. Remember what we did last night?"

"Y-yes."

Raven began kneading the base of Starfire's neck. The golden-skinned girl sighed and gave in to the signals her pressure points were sending her.

"Envision the candle flame." Raven urged softly.

To her credit, Starfire was able to stop crying after a minute or two of meditation. It took her a full twenty minutes to completely relax.

When her meditation was complete, the alien slid to the floor. Raven lifted her up, carried her to the back of the room, and set her down on the bed. Starfire stirred a little.

"Are you all right?" Raven queried.

"I…am still frightened. Robin looked so hungry. Like that Cyramillian chrysalis eater…ready to devour me…" she curled up and began to tremble again.

Raven crawled into bed with her, stroking the silky red hair. "I'll make sure he never even gets close to trying that again." She glanced down at her teammate, and realized that there were ugly bruises darkening where Robin had struck or grabbed her.

"He hurt you," Raven growled, her anger stirring again. "The son of a bitch hurt you." She closed her eyes briefly to quell her powers, then softly laid her fingertips on Starfire's wounded arms. "Azarath, Metrion…Zinthos." The bruises vanished. But Raven wasn't finished. She took a single look at Starfire's ripped shirt. She couldn't let Starfire wear clothes that were torn by her aggressor, could she? "Here." Raven summoned a black robe from her bureau, then carefully removed her friend's top and wrapped the robe around her thin, quivering body. "That's better." The amethyst-eyed girl lay down.

"Thank X'hal you arrived when you did," Starfire quavered.

"I wouldn't let Robin—or anyone else—hurt you. Ever."

"And thank you for healing my wounds." Starfire pulled her body into as compact a ball as possible, pressing her thighs together tightly.

_Poor Starfire_.

Raven almost reached out to her teammate, but she probably didn't want to be touched ever again, most certainly not by someone with demonic blood.

"Raven?"

"If you want to be alone, I'll sleep on the floor," the telepath said, deadpan.

"Actually, I was going to ask if you…could please hold me."

Raven said nothing.

"I know you dislike physical contact, but I…need someone to comfort me. Please?"

The hybrid turned to face Starfire. "You're right. I do dislike close contact."

Starfire bit her lip.

"But I'll make an exception." Raven moved closer to Starfire and held her arms out. "Come here."

Starfire flung her arms around Raven and buried her body against the other girl's. Raven lightly stroked her friend's back, whispering reassurances.

"Your presence is soothing," Starfire murmured. "You are so still."

"Um…that's good."

"Friend?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. You have no idea how indebted I am to you, Raven. If you had not turned up just when…"

"Shhh." Raven laid a finger on her teammate's lips. "Sleep. You've been through enough."

Starfire nodded, and pulled Raven closer, nestling her face against the slim shoulder. Though Starfire was taller than Raven, she was trying to make herself as small as possible, attempting to fit her entire body into Raven's arms.

Raven gave her teammate's back a few more chaste caresses, repeating her mantra silently. Having Starfire so close was causing a torrent of entirely pleasant emotions scattering across her body. If she didn't keep her powers under control, they might harm Starfire.

Slowly, sleep claimed the alien girl. Raven lay awake for a few minutes longer than her companion, wondering vaguely: if she told Starfire her feelings, would they be easier to control?

* * *

"No…no, please…Raven, help me…_RAVEN!_"

Starfire woke thrashing and screaming. Raven was violently roused from her slumber, her powers tangling the sheets around the two girls like a straitjacket. The part-demon girl untangled the bedclothes and reached for her friend, trying to calm her down. "I'm right here, Starfire. I'm right here, nothing's wrong, it's okay…"

Starfire had stopped writhing and lay still, though panting slightly. Her quaking hands reached for Raven, who gently gathered her up and rocked her. No explanation was required; Starfire had been having a nightmare (no prizes for guessing what she had been dreaming about) and she needed help calming down.

"Thank you very deeply," Starfire whispered when her breathing had evened out.

"Star, you know I would walk to hell and back for you."

"But…I only need you to comfort me."

"I wasn't being literal."

"Oh," Starfire said dismally. "I apologize. I have much to learn about Earth languages."

"I can teach you, if you want."

"Truly?" Starfire beamed for the first time that night.

"Yeah." Raven lay back down, still cradling Starfire, who giggled happily and curled up against Raven's body.

_Oh Azar, give me control…Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos. Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos._

"Friend Raven?"

"Yeah?"

"Why have you been so unusually kind to me?"

"Because you're my friend. And you needed help."

"You do not normally treat your friends with such tenderness." Starfire pointed out.

_She may have trouble with English, but she's a lot smarter than most people give her credit for_.

"I think we both would be better off if I didn't tell you." A book soared over Raven's head and slammed into the wall.

"I would rather think of whatever you have to say than the other things that have happened tonight."

Raven considered. Would it be easier to keep her powers underwraps around Starfire if she expressed herself for once?

"Well…Starfire, I'm not sure when this started happening, but I've developed…feelings for you. As…more than a friend."

The alien blinked. "But Raven, we are more than friends. We are teammates."

"It's hard to explain," Raven said wryly. She actually considered saying "Since I can't tell you, maybe I should show you." But then what was she supposed to do? Kiss Starfire? The poor girl had already been traumatized enough for one night.

"Forget it. I'll sleep on the floor. If I stay this close to you, my powers could hurt you." Raven took a pillow and slid off the bed.

"Friend, are you angry with me? Have I done something wrong?"

"What would you have done wrong?"

"I do not know. Sometimes I have difficulty with Earthly social interaction."

"I'm not angry with you."

"But you lose control of your powers when you are angry." Starfire noted.

"Also when I have other strong emotions." Raven reminded her.

"Strong emotions," the extraterrestrial repeated distantly.

Raven lay down on the floor, tucking the pillow beneath her cheek. She wrapped her cloak around herself as a blanket. "Good night, Starfire."

"More than friends…" the Tamaranian whispered. "Raven, were you trying to say that you love me?"

The Azarathean winced. Starfire's perceptive abilities were definitely underestimated.

"Something like that."

The auburn-haired girl was silent, blinking in surprise. Certainly she had never expected Robin to try to rape her, and she had occasionally wondered if her coldhearted friend was even capable of love. This was turning out be a very strange night.

"I won't be offended if you want to go sleep in Ops now," Raven continued.

"Why would I want that?" Starfire was confounded.

"Well, I thought you would be uncomfortable sleeping in the same room as I am. I thought you'd be grossed out."

"Why would I be 'grossed out?'"

"Because I'm a girl. Because I'm ugly. Because you deserve better."

"But Raven, most Tamaranians—myself included—are innately bisexual. Tamaranian scientists believe it is a population-controlling device. And you are most certainly not ugly. You are, truthfully, quite beautiful." A faint blush rose to Starfire's cheeks.

Raven sat up. "Really?"

"Yes." Starfire extended a hand to Raven. "Please, is there a way you can control your powers? I wish to be close to you."

Slowly, the half-demon climbed back into bed. Starfire took her hand, carefully pulled her into the covers, ran splayed fingers through her short silky hair. A soft, content sound escaped Raven's throat.

"After all you've done for me, how could I possibly reject you?" Starfire whispered.

"Maybe you think I don't deserve you."

"Your heritage does not detract from the kindness you have shown me." The golden-skinned girl snugged her head under Raven's chin, warranting a soft moan from the telepath.

"Thanks."

"Do not thank me. You saved me. All I have done is hold you."

The corners of Raven's mouth turned up just slightly. "It's late, Starfire. We should sleep."

"Pleasant schlorvaks, sweet Raven."

"Star?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't call me that. That's what Malchior called me."

"I apologize…well, then, pleasant schlorvaks, my friend."

"Sleep tight, Starfire."

* * *

Starfire woke pressed tightly against a warm, very feminine body, wondering briefly, _What…? Oh yes, Raven is holding me_. The alien held very still, careful not to disturb her companion's sleep. She thrilled slightly at their closeness, enjoying the feeling of Raven's soft curves melting into hers; so much more gentle and comforting than Robin's hard muscles. This was the wrong thing to think; memories of what Robin had attempted the previous night sent Starfire trying to move closer to Raven, which at that point was no longer physically possible.

The other girl's stirring woke Raven. "Starfire, is everything okay?" She slowly ran a hand down Starfire's back, effectively soothing her.

The alien sighed. "Now it is." Raven had beautiful arms, Starfire noticed.

"I don't want to upset you again, but you'll have to face Robin at breakfast."

"Will you hold my hand as we walk?" Starfire pleaded.

_She has to hold my hand whenever she sees Robin now; Tamaranians really are affectionate. Not that I mind._ "What would Robin say if he saw us holding hands?"

Starfire bit her lip.

Raven cupped the back of Starfire's head in one hand, stroking the thick hair. "But nothing is stopping me from holding your hand under the table once we get there."

The taller girl tilted her face up, and the two young women touched; not lips, but foreheads.

"Come on, Star." Raven helped her teammate up.

"Perhaps I should not wear your robe." Starfire fingered the soft black cloth. "It is comforting to wear what belongs to you, but the others might suspect."

Raven lifted a hand, and a fresh set of Starfire's clothes floated through the wall, borne by her powers. The telepath undid the robe's tie, slipping the cloth from her friend's shoulders. "Here." She handed her companion's clothes to her, though silently wishing Starfire would still wear the black robe. _Stop it. You're being irrational. Just let Starfire wear her own clothes_.

"Thank you." Raven lifted her cape to hide her eyes while Starfire dressed herself.

"Raven?"

The violet-haired girl dropped her cloak. She picked up her robe from the floor, lightly rubbing the cloth that had touched her friend's skin with her fingertips. _Stop that! You're being a pervert!_ Raven scolded herself. She tossed the garment back to her closet. "You ready?"

The Tamaranian nodded, and the two girls set off, walking side by side.

In the kitchen, Cyborg was frying bacon, and Beast Boy was running about frantically, waving his arms and screaming, "Dude! NO MEAT! I've _been_ a pig, remember? I only eat tofu!"

"Yo, have you seen your room? You haven't _been_ a pig, you _are_ a pig!" Cyborg countered.

"No bacon!" Beast Boy hollered. "And if you're gonna make me smell it, at least fork over the pan when you're done so I can make some tofu eggs!"

Raven and Starfire entered.

"Sleep well last night, Starfire?" Robin inquired casually.

"Very well, thank you," Starfire answered jovially. When Robin turned his attention to Cyborg and Beast Boy's squabble, Raven gave her friend's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

The girls sat down. Underneath the table, Starfire's hand found Raven's and clutched hard enough to break bones. Raven reached over to stroke Starfire's wrist, and the alien's grip softened.

Raven was holding Starfire's left hand with her right one. Since Raven was right-handed, and so had to eat her food using her powers. The boys were distracted by Beast Boy and Cyborg's "I will not eat real eggs" battle, so they didn't notice. By the end of the meal, Starfire had relaxed enough to begin massaging Raven's wrist, rather than cling to her for comfort. This made it very difficult for Raven to act normal, but of course, she didn't mind.

Starfire," Raven whispered. "You have to tell the others what Robin did."

"I cannot!" Starfire gasped fervently. "I fear the revenge Robin may take on me—and you, for helping me."

"But Star…"

"Raven, please."

"All right," Raven consented softly, planning to ambush Robin when Starfire wasn't watching.

* * *

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Starfire watched every documentary videotape she owned, with Raven sitting a few feet away, reading. Beast Boy had guilted Cyborg into helping him build a moped, and Robin was training. Every once in a while, Raven sent her soulself out to check on Robin, and make sure he wasn't planning anything perverse.

_Like me,_ Raven thought. _I should be able to control my emotions, not have to blurt my heart out to poor Starfire. Why did I ever tell her about my stupid, perverted, shameful, pointless schoolgirl crush on her?_

"Raven?"

The telepath closed the book she was reading and looked up.

"What, Star?"

"May I sit with you?"

"No."

Starfire blinked.

"I was being sarcastic."

"I see." Starfire alighted beside Raven on the couch and laid her head on Raven's shoulder. "Mmm…you are certainly comfortable."

"Uh…thanks."

"And…perhaps you could teach me the finer points of sarcasm as well."

Raven inhaled rather sharply as Starfire's arms found their way around her waist. "Maybe I should." She reached with one hand to play with one of the thick strands of hair hanging from her friend's temples.

"Thank you for rescuing me," Starfire purred into Raven's shoulder. "Our troubles are over now."

_She's too trusting_, thought the Azarathean. _Our "troubles" are far from over._ Images of the demonic words on the side of the burning warehouse flashed across her mind. _Definitely, far from over._

* * *

A/N: Yes, that was a pretty long chapter...at least by my standards. It was 11 typed pages on Microsoft Word...whew. Sorry folks, but no more updates til after finals are over. Until then, later!

Gothic Tiger


	4. The Price of Justice

Unseen Forces

Chapter Four: The Price of Justice

Summary: Robin and Starfire's relationship turned into a nightmare. Raven rescued Starfire from an obsessed Robin, but the road ahead is long, and it has a demon waiting around the next bend.

Disclaimer: If I owned Teen Titans, there would be a way for Raven to force Trigon to leave her alone forever, Beast Boy would have a moped, Terra would be alive (but not paired off with Beast Boy), there would be more episodes with Blackfire in them, and Slade would NOT be working for Trigon. So needless to day, I don't own the show.

Pairings: RaeStar now…apparently the RobStar is now one-sided, and it's not from Star.

Author's Notes: Warning: this chapter will be DARK, i.e., immensely cruel to poor Raven. Yes, I am evil. But on the bright side, Robin will get what he deserves. Oh yeah, and this story will ignore the events of _Prophecy_, because it was planned way before I even knew the ep was going to air. Heck, it hasn't even aired where I live yet (as of 6/2/05).

* * *

Tendrils of fire danced along the dark walls of the cave. They moved like snakes, slithering and hissing of their own volition, as if they were conscious beings rather than flames. Of course, they were not conscious. 

They were being controlled.

The possessed fire threw leaping, eerie shadows across the jagged rock, like lost souls whirling round the fires of hell. Rivers of sizzling lava crawled through cracks in the granite, releasing slow bubbles, menacing in their silence. Pools of dead water festered in the darkest areas, and the oddly steady dripping of the stalactites onto the black stone was enough to unsettle any mortal. The very air seemed to hum, a dark sound like the moan of a storm wind, though there was not the merest breath of wind in the cavern. If one listened hard enough to the moan, it seemed to dissipate; but the instant one lost their strain to hear the sound, the thrum was back, creeping up the spine, freezing the senses.

Neither bats, nor insects, nor the lowliest rats dwelled in this cave.

It was the lair of a demon.

A new shadow flashed across the cavern's flank. It was the lightless reflection of one that had once been human, but was now immortal; a man, broad-shouldered and dominating to a human, but miniscule compared to the disquieting, almost murderous majesty of the cave.

The figure knelt before an oozing stream of lava.

"I have done as you requested, master." The slow, deep sound of Slade's words ricocheted off the walls.

"Good. Now she is convinced." The new voice itself could have swallowed the kneeling man whole. Compared to this ominous presence, this tone that dripped blood and terror, the infamous villain was a mere messenger, a lackey. "Will she see the words?"

"Doubtless. What is the next task?"

"Are you so eager to see the world of mortals annihilated?" The slithering flames formed what appeared to be a twisted S-shape, and emitted a sudden burst of blinding light.

"I am your messenger." But Slade's reply was not meek enough for Scathe. The blaze coming from the mark on the wall erupted as if from a volcano, knocking the man onto his back.

"You are insubordinate!" The unholy voice roared. By human standards, the sound was that of a score of lions; by demon standards, Trigon was barely raising his voice. "After your failure to force my daughter to give her will to her destiny, it was necessary to deliver the message again! You should be groveling for my forgiveness!" The howl filled the cave with a sonic power forceful enough to shatter steel. Slade attempted to stand, but his efforts were futile. His struggle to simply get up reminded one of a small child trying to chop down a tree with grass stalks.

The flames reduced to a threatening sizzle. "We will wait for the proper conditions. Then, despite your blunder, the girl will no longer be able to run."

* * *

Starfire had been far too frightened to sleep alone. Raven didn't blame her, and obviously was willing to share her room with the alien. 

The gothic Titan was awakened by a whisper. "Raven?"

The young hybrid stirred a little, opening her eyes. Her eyelashes brushed the nape of Starfire's neck as she did so. "Hmm?"

"Are you awake? I cannot see your face."

Starfire was lying with her back to Raven, with the smaller girl holding her gently by the waist.

Raven sat up slightly so she could rest her chin on Starfire's shoulder. "Yeah, I'm asleep. That's why I'm talking to you."

The Tamaranian giggled softly. "Please lie back down. I enjoy having you hold me the way you were."

Raven obeyed. Starfire laughed again as she felt Raven's arms embrace her midriff.

"You don't mind?"

"Not at all, friend! Especially when you are so gentle. Why do you ask?"

"I don't know. I guess I feel…dirty. Like I'm going to contaminate you."

"Whyever would you think such a thing?"

"I guess I'm remembering that rule that says it's forbidden for non-Tamaranians to touch you. You're almost sacred. And I'm…" Raven trailed off with a rather bitter chuckle.

Starfire turned in Raven's arms and returned her hug. "You have made references to your heritage being tainted, but I still do not understand."

"I'm one-quarter human, one-quarter angel, and…half demon."

"Oh…my."

"Yeah. Don't ask. Really, don't ask."

"I will not." Starfire buried her face in Raven's soft violet locks.

"I don't believe it," Raven whispered, so quietly she could barely hear herself.

"What?" Apparently, Tamaranians had very good hearing.

"I just told you that I have unholy blood, and you still accept me."

"You are still the same Raven, who is my close friend and cares for me."

"True. But I thought maybe you wouldn't think I was good enough for you."

"Of course not!"

"And I still can't believe I couldn't control my powers to the extent that I had to tell you how I feel. I'm supposed to be an expert at repressing my emotions."

"I am glad you told me." Starfire purred soothingly, trailing a lazy finger down Raven's spine.

The telepath closed her eyes. "Me too."

_When I'm around Starfire, it's so hard for me to believe that anything else exists. But there is one thing that still exists that I have to deal with as soon as possible. Star may not want me to tell the others what Robin did…or tried to do…but I am going to, and we will tie up Robin and ship him off to a mental hospital. He should be locked up._

Starfire pulled the sheets up over their heads and gave a soft kiss to Raven's _chakra_ gem.

_But for the time being, I've got Starfire…

* * *

_

Throughout the day, Raven silently searched for an opportunity to tell Beast Boy and Cyborg about Robin's attempt to rape Starfire. She never got it; Robin made sure that Raven never had an opportunity to be alone with the two other boys. He always stayed near Raven; ergo he was always near Starfire, who still refused to detach herself from the empathic girl. By the end of the day, Raven had bruises on her wrist where Starfire had clung to her. She was skilled at acting relaxed around Robin, with the small exception of clinging to Raven like a lifeline every second.

Raven wondered if she would have the chance to approach the two Titan jokers. Perhaps she should simply ghost into the weight room while he was beating the crap out of a punching bag, and beat the crap out of him before he saw her.

The Titans ordered pizza for dinner (Raven had to convince Starfire not to request mint frosting on hers), and or course there was the classic meat/veggie argument between Beast Boy and Cyborg, until Raven suggested that the two boys get their own pizzas; Cyborg could certainly his alone.

_It really is pathetic that I'm going to trust those two immature boys to help me pack Robin off to the psych ward,_ Raven thought as she nibbled lightly on a slice of plain cheese pizza. She never ate much, and preferred simply to drink her tea. Halfway through the meal, Starfire had pulled Raven aside and asked why Raven often refused food.

"On Tamaran, such lack of appetite would be a result of sickness," the alien had said, feeling Raven's forehead. "Are you all right?"

"I never eat much, Starfire," Raven had replied. "I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine."

"I only wish to make sure you are well," Starfire's lower lip had jutted out slightly in a pout. She looked so innocent and adorable that Raven couldn't just walk away. She took Starfire's hands in hers.

"Star, I know you're grateful that I saved you and you want to make it up to me, but don't go overboard, okay?"

The Tamaranian hugged the smaller girl tightly. "Very well." She swayed back and forth, holding her friend.

"Starfire? Can we go finish eating now?"

"What? Oh, yes." Starfire blushed copiously as she let go of Raven.

After the Titans were finished eating, the mage sent Starfire to her room. "I'll be there in a few minutes," she assured the alien. "But we've got to keep a low profile."

"Low profile?"

"Yeah…we shouldn't let the boys know that…um…I'm letting you sleep in my room. Maybe I should start giving you English lessons tomorrow."

"Thank you," Starfire giggled and skipped off.

Raven finished sipping her tea. She was the last Titan to leave the table; the shape-shifter and the half-robot were playing videogames, and Robin had been the first to leave, saying he was going to bed. Raven considered ambushing him while he was asleep, but decided to wake up early and attack him instead of doing it now. She wanted to make sure he would be asleep. As powerful as Raven could be when she put her mind to it (pardon the pun), she would need an edge over Robin to cause the amount of damage he deserved.

Raven stumbled as she stood up. She shook her head to clear it, but her vision spun dangerously. Her knees shook as the floor tilted beneath her feet. She staggered to the nearest wall and leaned against it for dear life, panting from the effort. A bead of sweat dripped down one pale cheek. Her head throbbed as if an old-fashioned blacksmith had set up shop in her brain and was pounding away at his anvil. Still clinging to the wall, Raven inched down the hallway. Her feet slipped haphazardly, as if she had no control over them. _This is not normal. What is happening to me?_

"Need help, Raven?" A seemingly concerned voice that raised the hairs on the back of Raven's neck sounded behind her. A hand encased in a dark-green glove gripped her left arm.

_Drugged…I've been drugged. Robin…must have…slipped something in my tea while…while I was talking to Starfire…no…Oh God…_

"Get off," Raven croaked, trying to shake his hold on her.

"Come on, Raven. Don't bother fighting, by the way. You should be groggy for a few more hours." Robin draped her arm around his neck, supporting her.

"Let me go…Stop…"

"Scared? You should be." Batman's former sidekick paced down the hall, forcing Raven to walk along. She squirmed, but her movements were sluggish and delayed, as if she was drowning in a pit of thick quicksand. And to Beast Boy and Cyborg—not that they would look up—it would simply appear that she was tired and Robin was helping her walk.

Robin's gentle act dropped as soon as they got to his room. Robin threw her to the floor inside, and closed and locked the door. Raven knew her only hope was to attack him now, before whatever drug he had given her took full effect. Her best chance was the use of her powers, since her limbs refused to respond. A tendril of black magic snaked toward Robin as Raven hoped she would have the strength to throw him into a wall. The tendril faded and died; Raven futilely tried to summon another one, but her mind was already spinning out of her control.

The boy wonder leaned against the locked door, smiling at her struggle. He crossed the floor to pick her up by her hair, making her gasp sharply in pain. "What do you want?" Raven choked through a grimace.

Robin dragged her to his bed while she kicked helplessly, like a pet that knows they will never return from this trip to the vet. He dropped her, taking a hold on her hood so her cape came off as she fell. Her knees were on the floor; she was bent over with her head and arms on the mattress, the same position as a little girl who had nodded off during her evening prayers. Right now, Raven was praying for a miracle, for someone to burst in and stop Robin, like she had done for Starfire. She trembled with fear and the effort to stand, but whatever drug Robin had used on her was quickly taking hold, sapping her of every ounce of energy.

Robin bent over Raven, peeling the tight black jumpsuit away from her skin. Raven feebly flung an arm out in his direction, but he caught her wrist easily.

"Stop!" Raven ordered, summoning her remaining reserves of strength and pouring them into the single word. She refused to beg. She heard her own desperate voice cry out the command, and her heart dropped into her stomach as the sound of her weakness sounded in her ears.

The Titans' leader yanked Raven's hair ruthlessly again. "Shut up. You stole my Starfire. So now I have to steal from you." He finished stripping her and tossed her into the blankets. Stark naked but for her slippers, Raven curled herself up into as tight a fetal position as someone with barely any muscle control could. There was no way she could get out of this, but the would not go easily.

Now wearing only his mask, Robin climbed on top of her, tugging furiously at her knees, trying to get her body to uncurl.

"No," Raven moaned through clenched teeth. Turning over, she attempted frantically to crawl away. Robin seized her ankle and jerked her towards him. Her fingers clutched at the sheets, trying to keep herself from being towed backward.

Robin flipped her over, bracing her hips still with both hands. "Mmm. Why was I chasing Starfire when I could have had you? With you wearing that cloak all the time, I never knew you had such a nice body," he commented flippantly.

"Get off…let me go…" Raven writhed, but Robin kept his grip on her easily. Slowly, the prone girl's remaining power drained from her body. Raven could feel her strength seep away like a soul leaving a corpse. She lay completely still, vulnerable, weak prey.

Robin leaned over to whisper victoriously in her ear.

"You're mine."

* * *

When Robin was done with her, he sat up, admiring his shaking quarry. He dressed himself, letting Raven lie quaking on the mattress. 

Robin picked up Raven's clothes from the floor and dropped them on her stomach. "Why don't you get dressed?" he said pleasantly, adjusting his cape.

"You…are not going…to get away…with this." Raven rasped, her quivering fingers fumbling with her clothing, trying to get redressed, to hide herself.

Robin smirked at her. "You can't tell anyone. Because if you do, I'll kill your precious Starfire, and you."

From her supine position on the bed, Raven looked up.

"You didn't think I'd figure out that you had it bad for her." Robin shrugged, then smiled gently. "You're having trouble. Let me help." Robin carefully guided Raven's arms into her sleeves.

"Don't touch me."

Robin ignored this, clasping Raven's cloak around her throat. He helped her up the way he had in the corridor and walked her to the door. Raven lurched into the hallway, steadying herself with a hand against the wall.

"Remember, Raven, you can't tell anyone." Robin winked at her and shut the door.

The telepath limped brokenly down the hall. She was in shock. The entirety of what Robin had just done to her would not hit home until the next day.

She found her way to her room, where Starfire was waiting.

"There you are, friend!" Starfire chirruped happily. "I was beginning to wonder!" She floated over to Raven and hugged her affectionately. Raven leaned on the Tamaranian girl, gripping her in an embrace almost as bruising as Starfire's hugs used to be, before she learned to be gentle.

"Raven? What is wrong?"

Raven buried her face in Starfire's shoulder, crying softly.

"What troubles you so, my dear friend?" Starfire began caressing Raven's back.

"I can't tell you," Raven choked. "I'm sorry."

"Shh." Starfire picked up her teammate and carried her to bed, tenderly draping the sheets over the shuddering body. The alien lay down and wrapped herself around Raven, cradling the back of the smaller girl's head in one hand. "Perhaps you will wish to tell me what plagues you in the morning. But now, please relax and sleep, Raven. Please? It distresses me so to see you upset."

Raven pressed her face into Starfire's collarbone, struggling to quell her shivers. She would have to meditate for hours tomorrow.

But when she was done meditating, she _would_ ambush Robin, no matter what he was doing. Not only for Starfire, but for herself now as well. He was not going to get away with his ugly crimes as long as Raven was alive and breathing. And she _was_ alive and breathing: terrified half to death, breathing erratically with shock and shame, her most sacred and private thing ripped away from her, but she was alive, and she would never give up without a fight.

* * *

Starfire woke Raven the next morning by shaking her lightly. "Friend?" 

"Hmm?" Raven stirred against her teammate, making the alien giggle.

"It is very late…perhaps we should get up."

Raven lay still for a few minutes, trying to sort out what was going on. The edges of her vision were fuzzy and indistinct. Had she really gone the whole night without waking up in a cold sweat from a nightmare?

"You can go get something to eat if you want, but I have to stay here and meditate."

"I will stay here with you. Perhaps I could join you in meditation. It is very relaxing."

"Are you ever going to be able to do anything without me?" Raven questioned, rather sardonically.

Starfire grinned happily. "I believe…you are joking?"

"Yes…hey, you figured out that I wasn't being serious."

"Mm-hmm!" Starfire nodded.

"Good job." Raven whispered sincerely. She took her friend's hand and kissed the fingertips gently.

"And just then, you were not joking," Starfire grinned.

"No." Despite what had happened the night before, a slight smile touched Raven's lips. "I should meditate now." The telepath moved to stand up.

Suddenly Starfire shrieked. "Raven! You are bleeding!" She indicated Raven's leg.

Raven's stomach heaved and threatened to reject its contents as she glanced down. There was a thin stream of crusted blood running down her inner thigh to her knee. She realized suddenly that there was a painful throb low in her abdomen. She pressed her legs together tightly, shaking lightly in disgust and humiliation as she healed the internal wound that she had received the previous night.

"You are experiencing the monthly bleeding of Earth females?" Starfire queried.

"Yeah, that's all," Raven replied calmly, trying to still her pounding heart. She got off the bed, her knees threatening to give. She folded her legs in midair, placing each thumb to a forefinger. She retreated deep inside her own mind, to the place where no one but her was allowed. Her inner soul was private; when she took refuge there, she forgot that anyone else even existed.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos…"

Starfire knew better than to interrupt her friend's meditation. She hovered over to where her friend sat, crossing her legs Indian-style and repeating the mantra along with Raven.

"Azarath, Metrion Zinthos. Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos. Azarath, Metrion…"

* * *

When Raven surfaced from her meditative state, Starfire was gone. Raven supposed that she had become hungry and finally decided to get something to eat on her own. The telepath stood, walking over to her nightstand where her clock sat. 

It was already 1:30 in the afternoon.

Raven guessed that Starfire had woken her up at about 10:00, so she had been meditating for three and a half hours. It had been enough to dispel most of the terror and disgrace that she had been feeling. She had also battled down most of her fury, leaving only the amount of anger she needed as motivation. Now that her emotions had been balanced, it was time for revenge.

She perched in midair again and projected her soul-self above Titans Tower, where it could scan for the other team members' auras. She spotted Robin's right where she expected it; in the weight room. Cyborg was there too, but that couldn't be helped.

Raven threw a black shield over her head and sank, liquidlike, into the ground. She emerged in the weight room, where Cyborg was pumping iron and Robin was mercilessly pounding his kicking targets. Before either of the boys could notice her, she flung a burst of magic into Robin's punching bag and slammed it into his back. Robin was thrown forward, and slammed face-first into the wall. The boy wonder cursed badly, standing up.

Cyborg stood. "Yo, Robin, what happened?"

Raven's powers tangled in Robin's spiked hair and lifted him into the air, exactly as he had done to her. The young martial artist kicked furiously, and Raven listened, satisfied, as Robin howled with pain and rage before dropping him to the floor.

Cyborg had spotted her. "Raven! What are you doing?"

"Don't ask, but you had _better _not try and stop me," Raven growled. She soared over to Robin's side and belted him upside the chin with all her strength. The masked youth sprung up from the ground at barreled at Raven like a charging bull.

_He shouldn't let his anger control him like that,_ Raven thought coldly as a massive black claw clamped its talons around her attacker.

Robin thrashed angrily. "Raven, let me freaking go!" he ordered.

Only he didn't say "freaking."

"Such language," The sorceress snapped. "But appropriate for what you did to me last night, and what you _tried_ to do to Starfire." She raised a hand and clenched it into a fist, heartlessly squeezing Robin in her soul-self's claw.

"Raven, what are you talking about?" Cyborg demanded.

Robin yelled, choking frantically. "Let…me…go!" Raven's powers were crushing him.

"Kind of a familiar plea, isn't it?" The telepath swung Robin into the rack that held the team's supply of miniature barbells. The unfortunate boy collided with the shelves with an immense crash. He groaned as he attempted to stand.

"_That_ was for Starfire." Raven snarled.

Cyborg had apparently decided to interrupt, despite Raven's warning. She sensed him come up behind her and take her by the shoulders. "Rae, calm down. What happened to Starfire?"

"GET OFF!" The telekinetic snapped, rising into the air. If she was left to pummel Robin by herself, she could control her anger, but if Cyborg decided to irritate her by trying to make her stop, a pair of additional eyes and out-of-control black magic could result.

"Raven, stop!" Cyborg insisted. "Whatever Robin did, it couldn't have been _that_ bad!"

"Oh, trust me," Raven replied in a voice that could have frozen water in the Sahara, "it was."

A snake of colorless energy clenched around Robin's wrist, dragging him across the entire length of the room. The furious girl opened her fingers, releasing the tendril's grip and allowing kinetic force to slam her victim's head into a corner; a satiating _crack_ resulted. Then, lying almost motionless on the ground, he fought to sit up and lean on the wall for support.

"_That_ was for me." But Raven wasn't finished yet. She levitated to Robin's side, taking her time. She raised an arm. Her powers lifted the hapless boy up to the ceiling—once again holding him by his heavily gelled hair—and held him there.

"OK, Rae, this is your last warning…" Cyborg aimed his sonic cannon at the hovering girl, apparently not believing that Robin had done anything worthy of the punishment he was receiving.

Raven dropped her prey, which was not as complacent an action as it sounded. Robin had been hovering all the way up by the ceiling. When he fell, he lay crumpled on the floor; not dead, only stunned.

The young woman descended, hands palm up in a gesture of peace.

"Maybe I should explain," she said levelly, the antithesis of a furious vigilante. But then, one would have to travel to Vulcan to find someone more skilled at suppressing emotions than Raven. "Two nights ago, Robin tried to rape Starfire, and I stopped him. So then, last night, he decided he'd try me instead. He claimed he'd kill me if I told anyone, so I had to beat him up."

Cyborg blinked. "SAY WHAT?"

Calmly, Raven repeated what she'd said.

"Raven, are you serious?"

"Why else would I toss Robin around the room until I knocked him out?" Raven wanted to know.

Cyborg lowered his arm. "What possessed Wonder Boy to do that?"

Raven crossed her arms tightly. "He became obsessed with Starfire the way he used to be obsessed with beating Slade. It scared her, and she tried to break up with him…I'm still not sure exactly what happened, but I woke up when I sensed her fear nearby, and I stopped Robin. And he decided to take his anger out on me…" Raven trailed off.

"You okay?"

Raven smiled bitterly. "Mentally or physically?"

Robin stirred a little on the floor.

"We'd better restrain him," she commented, trying up the supine boy with a string of black magic. "Let's get him to the infirmary."

"Raven, I think maybe Robin needs something a little more intense than the Tower infirmary."

"You think?" Raven teleported herself, Robin, and Cyborg to the infirmary. "But we have to do something for now."

Beast Boy's head poked into the room. "Dudes, what's all the noise about? And why's Robin tied up…with Raven's powers?"

"Because he tried to rape Starfire two nights ago, and he drugged and raped me last night."

"Huh?" The shape-shifter's pointed ears quivered in confusion.

"Friends? What has…" Starfire floated inside. She let out a squeal of fright when she saw Robin.

"Hey Star, is that true?" Beast Boy stammered. "Robin tried to, um…yeah…"

Starfire blushed violently in shame. "It…is true. Raven rescued me."

"Starfire," Cyborg continued, "Did he attack Raven too?"

The alien girl's hands flew to her mouth. "I was not aware that…Raven, is this true?"

Raven simply nodded.

Starfire was at Raven's side in an instant—Tamaranians can fly extremely fast—and wrapped Raven in a tight hug. "That…that was why you were crying last night?"

Raven nodded wordlessly into Starfire's shoulder.

The taller girl began stroking Raven's hair. "Why did you not tell me this earlier, my darling Raven?" Starfire whispered, rather tearfully.

"Robin threatened to kill you—and me—if I told. I had to beat him up first."

"And that was why you were bleeding this morning…oh, Raven, I apologize profusely…"

"It wasn't your fault."

"So, does this mean Robin's not the leader anymore?" Beast Boy queried, clueless as ever.

The rest of the Titans shot him very irritated looks.

"We'd better get Robin somewhere he can get help. And Raven, you'd better see a doctor, after what happened." Cyborg was already taking charge.

"I will come with you," Starfire proclaimed stoutly.

Raven gently extricated herself from Starfire's arms before nodding affirmatively.

* * *

Starfire sat tensely in the waiting room, praying that her teammate was unharmed. Or, at least, as unharmed as one can be after getting raped. 

The redhead stood with nearly enough speed to launch herself through the ceiling as she watched Raven emerge from the area where she had been examined.

"Raven?" Starfire flew to her, slipping an arm around the shorter girl's waist. "You are…sick? Injured? Oh, please say no."

"I'm okay, Starfire." The empath draped her own arm around Starfire's neck. "I'm fine…physically."

"And mentally?" Starfire's emerald-colored eyes were wide with concern.

A taut smile stretched Raven's lips. "I may need to meditate some more."

Despite the fact that they were in a public building, Starfire pulled Raven into another hug. "I certainly hope you gave Robin what he deserves."

Raven laid her cheek on Starfire's collarbone. "I'm pretty sure I did."

"Now, perhaps we should return to the Tower…I presume you wish to meditate."

"Yeah. Thanks, Star."

_Well, this solves the problem of Robin's insanity,_ Raven thought grimly. _Now there's only Daddy Dearest to deal with…_

_

* * *

_A/N: Poor Rae…no, she will not get sick or pregnant. I'm not that cruel. But Robin got his asterisk kicked, so that's good…and no, I could not talk about the "proper conditions" of Raven's destiny being fulfilled because it would not have gelled with the rest of the chappie. 

Well, I'm going to China for ten days now. Later!

Gothic Tiger


	5. Disaster Awaiting

Unseen Forces

Chapter Five: Disaster Awaiting

Summary: Robin and Starfire's relationship turned into a nightmare. Raven rescued Starfire from an obsessed Robin, but the road ahead is long, and it has a demon waiting around the next bend.

Disclaimer: If I owned Teen Titans, there would be a way for Raven to force Trigon to leave her alone forever, Beast Boy would have a moped, Terra would be alive (but not paired off with Beast Boy), there would be more episodes with Blackfire in them, and Slade would NOT be working for Trigon. So needless to day, I don't own the show.

Pairings: RaeStar now

Author's Notes: Yes, I am back from China! (Doy…) NEway, the rest of this story will incorporate some of _Prophecy,_ because I love that epi now and it's ingrained in my head. But Slade and Trigon are obviously not on equal terms in this fic because it's too much fun to have Trigon scare the crap out of Slade. (Though, for obvious reasons, this story will ignore the events of _The End_ parts I, II, and III…even though lil' Rae was so _unbearably_ adorable…) And the "B-ped" is a reference to the moped Beast Boy wants/briefly owns in _Employee of the Month._

_

* * *

_Life in Titans Tower quieted. Robin was in convalescence, Beast Boy talked Cyborg into building him a "B-ped," and Starfire still refused to sleep alone…though of course, it wasn't because she was afraid of being attacked in her sleep. 

Despite Starfire's presence, Raven lay awake every night, sometimes praying for a way to stop the encroaching prophecy, sometimes racking her brains or searching her books for a spell to cleanse her psyche of her father's influence, sometimes weeping softly. Mostly, she tried to meditate. Starfire was a heavy sleeper and almost never woke up in response to Raven's fitfulness. Occasionally Raven fell asleep from pure exhaustion, but this was rare.

But of course, one morning, Starfire finally inquired about Raven's tiredness: "Friend, your eyes are always circled with the rings of sleeplessness. Why can you not 'catch your z's?'" Despite her fatigue, Raven couldn't help smiling at Starfire's choice of words—she had learned the "catching z's" expression during an English lesson from Raven. "Is it…your father? Is he approaching?" The alien shook her head sadly. "When you told me you were half demon, I did not realize that meant that your father was the most feared demon in the universe."

"I don't know. I just…I don't want to become a portal to the underworld. I can't stop it, Starfire, I can't…"

"Shhhh." Starfire wrapped Raven in an embrace. "You are strong. You will not let your father force you to be his portal. I know it."

"I've tried to stop it, but there just isn't a way. I've even thought about killing myself, but there's no guarantee that my spirit wouldn't stay here and become the portal…"

"No more of this!" Starfire ordered, kissing Raven to silence her fatalistic talk. "You must simply refuse to accept your fate. If you know you won't allow the prophecy to happen, you will triumph."

"You used a verbal contraction," the telepath noted automatically. "…I'll try to refuse, Star. I'll try as hard as I possibly can."

Starfire kissed Raven again, this time as a reward. "You will succeed. One Tamaranian proverb reads, 'Those who are not pure of blood can still be pure of heart.' And you are too pure of heart to fail."

Raven closed her eyes. "I appreciate the comment, Star, even though I'm not sure you're right."

"Tamaranian proverbs are always true," the extraterrestrial reassured her.

"I'm not a big fan of proverbs, if you'll recall."

Despite Raven's pessimism, she continued scouring her books for some way to stop the prophecy. Maybe it was desperation that drove her to do this, maybe it was Starfire's urging, but in any case, she applied herself to the task with great conviction. Starfire stayed with her, watching unobtrusively, sometimes handing her books.

Several times during the course of the day, Beast Boy or Cyborg knocked on Raven's bedroom door, asking if everything was all right. Starfire's answer was always the same: "Raven does not wish to be disturbed."

By 5:00 that day, Raven sat, spent and quiet, in the center of a pile of books that dwarfed the girl herself.

"Raven?" Starfire knelt beside her friend and squeezed her shoulders lightly. "You are tired? Perhaps you should eat something. You have consumed no sustenance over the course of the day. Or perhaps I could simply fetch some of your herbal tea…"

"No." Raven rasped, her voice rusty from disuse. "Everything I've read says there's no way to stop it. Star, there's no way, I can't stop it, everyone on Earth will die and it will be my fault…"

The taller girl held Raven and rocked her back and forth. "It is no one's fault, and even if someone is to blame, it is certainly not you. You didn't ask for this."

"I didn't ask to be _born_, that's what I didn't ask for," Raven said wryly.

"I am certainly glad you were born," Starfire replied loyally, resting her friend on the floor. "Come; if you refuse food, let me help you continue your search." The alien floated over to the one corner of the room that had remained untouched. "Perhaps the answer is in this?"

Starfire motioned to open the chest that held Malchior's book.

Raven sat up. "Star, don't…"

She was too late.

"Friend, what book is this? Why is it not with your others?"

"It's the book that holds Malchior." Raven took the tome from her friend and replaced it.

"Could you curse your father the way you did Malchior?" Starfire suggested.

"The only curse powerful enough to affect my father would be the curse that I actually used on Malchior, and that wouldn't…" Raven trailed off.

"Raven? You have an idea?"

"Maybe if I trapped my father in a book…it sounds unlikely, but it might work…maybe I don't have to stop the prophecy, maybe I can follow it without anything getting destroyed…let's see…" Raven paced. "'The gem was born of evil's fire'…well, I'm here, that part's done…'the gem shall be his portal…' it never actually says I'll bring him to _Earth_…'he comes to claim, he comes to sire the end of all things mortal'…yeah, that's what he _wants_ to do, but it doesn't ever come out and say that he _will_ end the world…and maybe if I put a spell on an empty book, turn it into a blank dimension, and use Malchior's curse to trap him there…Star, I think I can pull this off!"

"Glorious!" Starfire squealed, squeezing Raven in a bruising hug.

"Starfire…can't…breathe…"

"Oh! I apologize." The Tamaranian loosened her grip, but did not let go.

"Star, not all hugs have to last ten minutes."

"Mine do," Starfire purred into the soft, violet-colored velvet against her cheek.

"You are so bizarre." Raven sighed.

"Isn't that why you love me?"

"Well…yeah."

* * *

What would have been a gentle breeze above ground made a mournful, haunted moaning sound underground, like the crying of lost souls who had been exiled to limbo. But for all anyone knew, that simile comparison could have been true. 

Footfalls that would have echoed ominously in a normal cave might as well have been those of a mouse, for all the noise they made.

The maker of the footsteps went down on one knee before a sizzling, bubbling ocean of molten rock.

"The portal requires more persuasion, Master."

The soaring, dripping walls of the cavern swallowed and muffled Slade's words, making them sound plaintive.

A low growl that made the earth tremble came from the four slitted, burning eyes swimming in a pool of magma. "More persuasion?"

"She has your blood coursing through her veins, Master. It's a small wonder that she is…stubborn. She claims you will have to destroy her before she will make her transformation."

"Her human blood should be weak enough to make her submit!" Trigon howled. A wind like a restrained hurricane mercilessly battered the air. If Slade hadn't been kneeling, he would have been knocked to the ground.

"I have a way to convince her, Master." Slade responded, his voice level—for the most part. "She has become very close to another member of her 'team.' Perhaps we could use her…attachment…to persuade her."

Trigon's luminescent eyes narrowed. "Very well. Bring the portal's little friend here tomorrow. We will see how 'stubborn' my daughter is then."

* * *

Starfire had probably only drifted into slumber an hour earlier. She had lain awake beside Raven, watching, making sure her friend's sleep was untroubled; for it had taken the telepath at least three hours to fall asleep. 

After Raven had finally succumbed to her exhaustion, Starfire herself had been unable to sleep. She had a rather horrid thought lodged in her head, and couldn't seem to rid herself of it; what was it like for Raven to know she was a walking time bomb? How had she woken up every day, knowing it was one day closer to the day when she would become a portal to Hell and bring her father to Earth, which would be destroyed? How could she live, knowing she would be responsible for the deaths of millions? It made Starfire tremble just to think of it, and she wasn't even the one who was the portal.

Seemingly too tired to sleep, she had leaned over to caress Raven's hair. "You are so strong, my little one," the extraterrestrial had whispered. "If I were you, I could never maintain the level of mental health you do, knowing what my destiny held. It is no wonder your mind turns on you without friends." Starfire had then cradled the empathic young woman's back with one arm. "I will never let anything happen to you, Raven, I promise." The alien could barely hear her own words, but if she spoke too loud, she might wake her companion.

Holding Raven against her, Starfire had finally submitted to her fatigue.

When she woke, it was not yet morning. A pale beam of moonlight pooledon the floor, the darkness in the room was so thick that Starfire could barely see a foot in front of her, and Raven had somehow moved to the edge of the bed.

The golden-skinned adolescent reached for the other girl, finding her hand and stroking it. "Raven? What is wrong?"

Without warning, the violet-haired girl's body convulsed violently, as if she was going into some sort of fit. The unwarranted seizure was accompanied by a sharp cry of pain from the still-sleeping girl's throat. Starfire screeched in surprise, backing away in terror as her friend arched fiercely again, clenched fists pounding the mattress. Raven screamed again, louder this time, a sound like one would make when stabbed with a knife.

"Raven!" Starfire yelped in alarm, gently pinning the flailing teen's arms to prevent her from injuring herself. "What ails you? Oh, please wake up!"

"No…" Raven moaned softly, her legs still kicking an imaginary assailant away. "No! Stop!"

Frantic, Starfire shook the smaller girl. "Wake up! Please, Raven, you are going to damage yourself!"

"I won't do it! I won't…" The mage's shrieks trailed off into an unintelligible groan, but her body continued seizing. Her powers ran rampant, annihilating random objects around the periphery of the room.

Sobbing gently in fear and pity, Starfire plastered herself to Raven like a blanket. "Please wake," she begged, "please!"

Slowly, Raven stilled and quieted. She lay motionless, panting heavily. Beads of sweat dripped off her chin.

The Tamaranian girl sat up. "Raven?" She laid her fingertips on the supine girl's cheek. "Are you unharmed?"

The pallid young woman's eyes drifted open. "Star?" Her voice was barely audible.

"Raven! I was so worried! What were you 'nightmaring' about?"

"'Nightmare'…can't be used…as a verb…" Raven sighed. "It wasn't…a nightmare. It…was…a vision."

"A vision?" Starfire repeated.

"I…was becoming…the portal." Raven quivered, pulling her body into a fetal position. The other girl hoisted her up, enfolding Raven in her lean, strong arms. "It hurt…it felt like Trigon was in my…mind…forcing me…"

"Is there any way to dispel these visions?" Starfire asked quietly.

"There is one way…it'll sound really…stupid…"

"Tell me," the taller girl urged, carefully resting her friend's limp body among the twisted sheets.

"I drink tea because the herbs help suppress whatever chemicals in my brain give me these visions. If they get bad enough, I have to absorb the herbs directly into my skin. Usually that means rubbing them into my skin while I'm taking a bath."

"I could bathe you now, if you wish," Starfire suggested. "I do not want to see you have any more visions. It pains me to see you so frightened."

"You…you wouldn't mind?"

"Not at all…you think of me as having a very close relationship with you, correct?"

"Of course." Raven reached up with one weak arm to rest her hand on Starfire's shoulder. "I just wouldn't want to…impose…"

"It's no trouble." The alien gathered her teammate up again. "I…would rather enjoy it, truthfully." Starfire blushed as she stood, still carrying Raven.

The redhead had to shake her companion twice walking to the bathroom to make sure she hadn't fallen asleep. Once there, Raven sat in the tub and undressed (with some help; she was still trembling). Starfire ran the bathwater, anxiously watching her friend simply crouch there, motionless, her arms wrapped tightly around her chest to cover up.

Star laid her hand on the telepath's spine. "You are…too warm? Too cold?"

"I'm okay."

The Tamaranian girl gave a soft kiss to Raven's shoulder blade. "Good." She spied an empty shampoo bottle halfway full of shredded dark-green leaves next to the soap. "These are the herbs you use?"

"Uh-huh."

Starfire carefully poured a small handful of herbs onto a damp cloth. Slowly, she pressed the fabric onto the exposed skin of her friend's back. "This is correct?"

"That's fine." The smaller girl hunched over to give Starfire a better angle. The latter heard Raven speaking quietly, and it took a few seconds for her to realize she was chanting her mantra.

The extraterrestrial took her time rubbing the herbs into Raven's warm skin. Despite the fact that she was only doing it to prevent Raven's visions, she was beginning to enjoy it. She couldn't help noticing—for the first time—the geometry of ribs and backbone underneath the perfect flesh she was touching. Her cheeks began to flush in something like embarrassment; she shouldn't take pleasure in something she was doing to ward off Raven's nightmares, right? She should just focus on the task at hand.

"Star?"

The alien started. "Yes, Raven?"

"Is everything okay? You stopped."

Starfire realize that the progression of the cloth over Raven's back had indeed halted. "Oh…nothing is wrong. I was simply…admiring you." _It is a miracle my cheeks are not in flames_, the emerald-eyed girl thought wryly. "I apologize."

"It's okay, Starfire."

The taller girl pressed the herb-laden fabric into the small of her friend's back, a little more firmly this time. To her surprise, she felt Raven straighten slightly in response. "Am I injuring you?"

"No…it feels good, that's all."

Starfire gently dug her fingertips into Raven's flesh, feeling her companion's body answer with another arch. "I presume you are enjoying this?"

"Yeah."

The Tamaranian continued rubbing her hand back and forth against the base of Raven's spine. _I do hope Raven likes this as much as I do._

Raven tipped her head back and let out a short sigh. "Star…this is becoming less and less about preventing visions."

"You are right." Starfire ran the cloth back up to the nape of Raven's neck, and the empath leaned forward again. "Do you think that was enough? Will your visions stop now?"

"I hope so. Thanks."

"You are welcome." Starfire removed a towel from its hook on the bathroom wall and helped Raven from the tub, instantly wrapping the terrycloth around the smaller girl so she wouldn't be too cold. Raven sat listlessly on the floor while Starfire drained the water in the bathtub.

"You are so quiet." The tan-skinned girl slipped her arm around Raven's shoulders. The Azarathean girl didn't comment; she simply reached for her clothes, which lay on the floor.

Starfire hid her eyes while Raven redressed. "Are you all right?"

"Define 'all right.'" The part-demon replied with a rather bitter smile.

"Do you wish for me to carry you?"

"If you must." But the hybrid still wrapped her arms around Starfire's neck when the alien picked her up.

By the time Starfire had reached Raven's bed, the young woman she was holding was already asleep. Giggling softly, the former princess set Raven down and tucked in the sheets around her slim body. Star lay down as well, keeping her eyes on her teammate, praying that no more disturbing visions would disturb the weary girl's slumber.

* * *

The Titans were called out early the next morning. Beast Boy complained about getting up early and battling villains without first eating breakfast.

The situation reminded Raven painfully of the day Starfire had been burned by Slade's fiery message. There was also a new, disquieting variable to deal with; Raven's body had been glowing with the marks of Scathe when she had awakened. Starfire, sensing her friend's anxiety, and gave a gentle squeeze to her hand when the boys weren't looking.

But evidently, Raven was wrong. Some teenaged prankster had thought it might be fun to control a giant automaton made primarily of electric charges. Overload, of course, had immediately begun destroying random buildings. Impatient and uptight, Raven simply used a water main to drench the robot.

The battle quickly won, Beast Boy punched the air. "All right! Now let's get back to the tower for some food."

Cyborg was scratching his chin. "I don't like this. Some underestimated Poindexter decides to unleash a locked-up robot on the city? And how'd he get Overload out, anyway?"

"Good question." Raven rose into the air to try and find the person who had released Overload. She quickly spotted him; a textbook scrawny nerdlinger with unkempt hair and Coke-bottle glasses, poling helplessly at a useless remote control. Apparently, someone had told him the ineffective remote would control Overload.

Eyes beginning to blaze with magic, Raven descended upon the unfortunate boy like a bird of prey. "Don't hurt me!" he squawked, dropping the remote.

"How and why did you get Overload out of prison?" Raven snapped, ebony tendrils waving ominously from underneath her cloak.

"Look, I needed extra money for a new ZIP drive, okay?" The youth scuttled backward on the pavement. "I put an ad out, and so when this guy Slade tells me how to break into the prison and says he'll pay me to release the Overload robot…aaahhhh!"

One of Raven's black extensions of power had caught him by his shirtfront. "_What_ was the name of the person who paid you again?" the telepath snarled.

"Slade! It was Slade!" the boy howled, kicking futilely. "Lemme go!"

Raven dropped him and flew back to the other Titans. "It was Slade. Slade hired this kid to break Overload of jail and distract us."

"Then what was he planning to do while we were distracted?" Cyborg wondered.

"Hey, dudes, where did Starfire go?" Beast Boy queried.

Raven felt a lead ball drop in her stomach. She flung herself skyward with as much velocity as possible, scanning the landscape frantically for any sign of the Tamaranian.

But her fears were confirmed. "Slade must have taken her. She's gone."

* * *

A/N: Another cliffy…yes, I am cruel…

Sorry it took so long for me to update. My computer time has been limited to an hour a day, so I don't have much time to type; and also, my parents say "Teen Titans" in the same way that most people talk about unpleasant bodily functions, so I get either a) lectures about wasting time, b) teasing about a high-schooler watching cartoons, or c) dirty looks when I get caught writing TT fics. On top of that, I get interrogated about my "questionable sexuality" when I get caught writing shoujo-ai. BLEH.

Whatever…

I will try to update ASAP. That might take a while, but keep in mind ASAP means "as soon as possible," not "right away."

Later!

Gothic Tiger


	6. Precious Gem

Unseen Forces

Chapter Six: Precious Gem

Summary: Robin and Starfire's relationship turned into a nightmare. Raven rescued Starfire from an obsessed Robin, but the road ahead is long, and it has a demon waiting around the next bend…who has kidnapped our poor little alien friend.

Disclaimer: If I owned Teen Titans, there would be a way for Raven to force Trigon to leave her alone forever, Beast Boy would have a moped, Terra would be alive (but not paired off with Beast Boy), there would be more episodes with Blackfire in them, and Slade would NOT be working for Trigon. So needless to day, I don't own the show.

Pairings: RaeStar now

Author's Notes: Um…I don't think I have any this time…yeah…except for one thing: I love making up new spells for Raven! Ha ha…and I love the trap-people-in-a-book curse. I'm going to go around saying that now. Oh yeah, and the "HIVE Five" is a reference to the team of five HIVE graduates the Titans battle in _Mother Mae-Eye_.

* * *

Raven wasted not a second. She sank into the ground beneath a shield of black magic, emerging back in her room. She summoned two books from her shelves; one a spellbook, the other her least favorite anthology of short stories. She cast a circle and hovered in the very center with both books open, floating a few inches in front of her.

The telepath recited her mantra. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." The spellbook flipped to the spell she needed. A few herbs floated from her stores over to her side; marjoram, for traveling abilities, and _ankia_, an Azarathean plant that, when used properly, could erase any corporeal item. It was certainly enough to erase the stories inside the book. Taking an appropriate amount of each herb and shaking them in her hand, Raven began crumbling the mixture of leaves over the pages of the storybook. "Orana Aikna Remelas…Majura Nahesda Kiranz!" The pages of the book Raven was transforming flipped violently, the words disappearing amid azure smoke, leaving blank white sheets. A dark spiral swirled angrily in the centerfold before dwindling.

Raven slammed both books shut, sending the spellbook back to the shelf. She tucked the newly altered blank-dimension book underneath one arm and emerged from her room, floating down the hallway.

Beast Boy and Cyborg spotted her; apparently they had returned in the time it had taken Raven to do the spell.

"Yo, Rae, where you off to?" The half-android demanded.

"I'm going to get Starfire," Raven replied, shouldering past the two boys.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Beast Boy frantically flapped his arms, as if he was attempting to fly but had forgotten to transform into a winged animal. "You can't go alone!"

"I can and I will," Raven replied icily. "I've found a way to fulfill the prophecy without harming anyone. But it's my fate; I have to do this by myself. If you two come with me, you could get hurt. Besides, Slade and Trigon have to think that I'm giving in to my destiny. If they see you, they'll know I'm trying to fight."

"But what if something happens to you?" The shape-shifter yelped.

Raven considered. "You can follow, but when I say you have to stop, you stay there and wait for me. If you're positive I've been hurt, then you can try to help."

"Uh, Raven?" Cyborg interjected. "Where are we going?"

"I'm not sure, but I can find my way there." With a sweep of her cloak, Raven proceeded to Ops. She folded her legs in midair, "sitting" in front of the massive window. "Azarath, Metrion…Zinthossss…" her voice trailed off as she projected her soulself into open air. The soulself was like a shadow, the absence of light, and could travel at unimaginable speeds. It—or she—locked on to Starfire's aura, winding and darting though the city, then through the ground, finding the abducted alien. (How ironic.) "Raven" could only see Starfire briefly, enough to sense that she was cold and lonely and terrified.

The soulself returned. Raven stood. "All right. I know where we're going. Follow me."

Beast Boy metamorphosed into a pterodactyl and carried Cyborg, while Raven soared determinedly ahead.

"Raven, I know you know where we're going, but where exactly are we going?" Cyborg called.

"A cave," the airborne young woman responded evasively. "I can't tell you much else."

They flew over the grimiest, seediest part of the city. Raven lifted herself high into the air and shaded her eyes with one hand, searching for the place her soulself had visited. "This way!" she called to Cyborg and Beast Boy as she banked off to the south.

The cavern was farther away than Raven's soulself had made it seem. Beast Boy's wings were beginning to tire, and Raven was beginning to worry; had she gone the wrong way? Taking a few deep breaths to steady herself, Raven took up her meditative position once more, again launching her soulself away from her body. The soulself sought out Slade's hiding place for the second time. It was nearby; Raven was most definitely heading in the right direction. "It's not much farther," the half-demon informed her two friends before continuing her flight.

Raven's emotions were beginning to inch outward, on the verge of being expressed in the form of black-magic-induced explosions. From long habit, Raven suffocated the feelings, but she struggled to do so, as if the emotions had taken on sentient minds and were fighting her. As she flew, calm and stately, towards the city's border, she was internally grappling with fear, anxiety, apprehension, and her arch-nemesis, rage. Unquestionably, she would have to make a trip to Nevermore soon.

After a quiet, tense flight, Raven alighted just above the entrance to a cave. There were many caves on the outskirts of Jump City, of course; but this particular cavern's entrance seemed to be the smallest of all the nearby dark gaping mouths. And this entryway was perfectly, almost unnervingly circular; magically made, obviously. A memory flitted across Raven's mind like a bat, one of charred, blackened skin in the exact same shape as the cavernous opening she was facing now. Brushing away the image of Starfire's burned leg, Raven began slowly to descend into the fissure.

"Raven, you're not going down there, are you?" Beast Boy sounded panicked.

The sorceress glanced up. "That's where Starfire is. That's where I'm going." She tucked the blank-dimension book a little tighter against her side.

Cyborg wished her good luck. Raven dipped her head briefly in response, and slipped into the cave.

Inside, the air seemed as thick as tar, and about as black. Raven was accustomed to darkness, but here, she could not see two inches in front of her. That made no sense; there should be some light entering the passage; the flawlessly round door had not been sealed. But of course, this was not an ordinary spelunking expedition, and this was not an ordinary cave. Raven had sensed a strong embodiment of dormant, restless power emitting from this location since she had left the boundaries of the city. She hypothesized that there was some visibility-impairing enchantment on this haunted grotto; that was why she was unable to see.

Steeling herself for an unpleasant challenge, Raven closed her eyes. When she opened them, there were no longer two eyes, but four, and they were glowing menacingly with crimson light. The idea of calling upon her unholy heritage for help made her skin crawl, but she had no choice. Demons have excellent night-vision.

Raven floated slowly through the still, underground corridor. There were no bats, no insects, no rats…this was, of course, exactly what the empath had suspected, but she still felt almost unsettled; she found herself clutching her book tightly.

The corridor quickly became a maze; every few feet there was one, sometimes two or three, passages twisting into oblivion. (At least, Raven was relatively sure a wrong turn would be fatal.) Whenever she had to call upon her soulself's recollection of which path to choose, a strong, urging wind would push at her back, attempting to guide her into one of the incorrect tunnels. She told herself that this was ridiculous, that she was only imagining the sentient wind; yet, when she was not deciding which warren to traverse, the air was so motionless it seemed stale.

The burrows seemed to go on for miles. Raven walked slowly, listening so intently for any other signs of life that her ears began to roar. She could not hear anything except for the low, agonized moaning of the wind when it endeavored to misguide her. Even her footfalls seemed nonexistent.

In spite of herself, Raven began to shiver. _It's cold down here,_ she told herself briskly. _You shiver when it's cold. I am not afraid, I am _not_ afraid…_

The repeating phrase in her head called back memories of the time when her powers had taken the form of monsters from _Wicked Scary. _She had insisted to herself that she had not been frightened, even though in reality, her fear was causing her powers to malfunction.

Raven tilted her chin up defiantly. _So maybe I am afraid. But that doesn't matter. What matters here is rescuing Starfire and stopping Trigon. Fear is not weakness; it is awareness that there is danger. Without awareness, I am blind and vulnerable. I can be afraid; I just can't let it control me, or my powers._

The trek was long. Perhaps it was because Raven was proceeding so cautiously, but it also could have been a spell that caused an illusion of passing time. _No matter why time seems to be dragging, it's a good way to psych out anyone who is trying to get down here,_ the teen thought grimly.

Not about to get reckless and impatient, and perhaps fly into a trap, Raven continued her patient journey. Although with every step her heartbeat increased, she willed herself to pace steadily. She continually found herself hoping no harm would come to Starfire; to cope with this, she reminded herself that Trigon and Slade would want Starfire fresh and alive to blackmail Raven into submitting to her destiny.

It felt like an eternity before Raven reached her destination, but she arrived there unharmed.

After the claustrophobic closeness of the catacombs, the high, vaulted ceiling of the cavern was overwhelming. Any visible light had a sickly crimson glow, and it came from the slithering pools and streamlets of magma crawling along the ragged ground. The crying sound Raven had heard the wind make earlier was even more present now; perhaps she was imagining things, but she could have sworn the wind was calling her name, cautioning her, warning her…

Raven tucked her book inside her cloak and stepped confidently into the cave.

Slade was waiting for her.

The undead villain was blocking Raven from Starfire; the innocent Tamaranian girl was lashed to the rough cave wall by chains of cold, menacing fire. Even though the telepath was a good distance from her fettered friend, Raven could see her trembling.

"Let her go," the quad-eyed Titan ordered brazenly, though knowing perfectly well her words would carry no weight. "Leave her out of this. This has nothing to do with her."

Slade snickered. "How chivalrous. Shall we dispense with the heroics? You know what you must do for your pretty little girlfriend to be released."

"You act like you're in charge," Raven snapped haughtily, finding inflections in her tone that could not be farther from her current emotions. "I want to talk to my father."

At this, four blazing eyes that matched Raven's own—except about a hundred times larger—appeared suddenly and with a violent growling sound on the wall above Slade and Starfire. "Yes, daughter?" The last two syllables, oozing with contempt, ricocheted off the walls and echoed darkly and ominously.

"Starfire has done nothing to you. Release her." The half-demon commanded. She purposely made her voice crack in fear over her last word. Her father had to think he had the upper hand.

The vibrant eyes narrowed as Trigon chuckled. "You know why your alien friend has been taken. And you know that I will not release her until you release me from this fiery prison."

Raven lowered her head, the picture of a humbled, defeated girl. "Yes. I know. But don't hurt Starfire." She strived to sound weak, pathetic, pleading, as if all her courage had deserted her.

The demon sniggered again. "We will see how merciful I feel after you bring me to Earth. Now, go to your place in the chamber. You know what you must do."

"I will," Raven replied. "But before I go, I have five words for you."

"Really?" Trigon's amused voice filled the cave. "I must hear this."

Swiftly, Raven produced the blank-dimension book and held it open to the centerfold. She used every cubic inch of air in her lungs to cry out the curse: "Aldruon Enlenthra Nalthos Sola Narisnor!"

Immediately, a voracious, sucking vortex erupted from the pages. The demonic eyes on the wall widened, emerging abruptly on a hideous, red-skinned head. Trigon clawed and howled furiously, loud enough to rupture eardrums, but even he was not powerful enough to ward off the wicked hex. Raven braced herself as the curse dragged her father's massive form out of his brimstone prison, through the whirling spell, into another jail that lay in Raven's hands. As the book slammed closed with the force of a giant clapping his hands, it tore itself from the empath's fingers and came to a hasty rest on the jagged ground. The burst of magic that exploded as the spell completed itself knocked Raven off her feet to land on her back, striking her head on the cruel, unforgiving rock with a sickening _thud_. Her body spiraled and bounced once, twice, three times before rolling to a stop and lying still as death.

Starfire bawled.

Slade, lifeless without his master, crumpled and turned promptly to dust.

The blistering chains that bound the extraterrestrial Titan withered and vanished. Starfire flew to her savior's side, cradling the motionless body and shaking her, imploring her to wake. She gently cupped her palm around Raven's head and screamed when her hand came away drenched with dripping crimson.

"No," Starfire begged softly, stroking the blood-tacky hair, clasping the cold hand. "No, please not Raven, not my sweet brave Raven, don't let her die, please…" Starfire had no idea who was talking to; God, X'hal, anyone who had the power to preserve the empath's life.

"Please come back to me, Raven, please…"

* * *

The Titans' infirmary was completely silent.

Starfire sat at Raven's bedside, clinging to her limp arm. She was alive, but barely; whatever part of her mind controlled her healing powers had been paralyzed (Starfire prayed that the paralysis was temporary) and the Titans were relying on modern medical techniques to keep Raven alive.

Every few minutes, Raven's body would convulse violently in what appeared to be a seizure, and Raven would cry out in pain and fright. Starfire would hold her still, silent tears dripping down her cheeks. Raven was suffering from visions almost constantly, or so Starfire thought; Beast Boy and Cyborg claimed that she had simply been knocked unconscious. She was not in a coma; the CAT scan in the Jump City Hospital had come back negative, and the Titans had been permitted to look after Raven by themselves.

Starfire, over and over, had insisted that she knew a cure for Raven's incessant visions. And, over and over, the boys had insisted that they wait; surely Raven would wake up soon, of her own devices.

In the meantime, it made the alien feel sick and horrified to think of what Raven must be seeing.

And she had been unresponsive for three days. Three days—seventy-two hours—of watching yourself cause devastation, torture, death and suffering. It was a fate Starfire would not wish on anyone.

A sharp jerk from Raven brought Starfire out of her brooding reverie. The telepath's arms and legs would have been flailing if they had not been strapped down. The violet-haired girl began striking her bandaged head against the infirmary bed, moaning and sobbing softly. Starfire carefully held her stricken friend's head still, stroking Raven's fingers with her other hand. The taller girl waited until Raven's vision-fit had subsided, then leaned over to rest a butterfly of a kiss on Raven's forehead.

Beast Boy came in. "Star?"

Starfire jumped. "Yes, Beast Boy?"

"Is Raven okay? I heard…"

"She had another violent vision," Starfire responded bitterly. "I know they are visions. Tell me again why we cannot treat her as if she is suffering not from a vision-induced coma, but from a simple concussion?"

The shape-shifter shrugged. "Cyborg says we can't just guess what's wrong. We have to try the normal way to…"

"It is not a guess!" Starfire shrieked. "I know what it looks like when Raven has a vision! She cannot wake because her visions will not stop! She is living a nightmare, and we must wake her up!" The alien's eyes began glowing fiercely.

Beast Boy held up his hands defensively. "Hey, I'm just repeating what Cy said. I don't know what to do." As if afraid that Starfire might have another tantrum, the aspiring comedian bolted.

Starfire stroked the smaller girl's hair. "Oh, why won't they listen to me?" The emerald-eyed girl whispered. "Do not worry, Raven, I will convince them…I promise…"

_I promised I would never let any harm come to Raven. Now she is suffering because of an injury she received while rescuing me._ Starfire crushed this chilling thought hastily, knowing that Raven's vision-coma wasn't anyone's fault; for instance, if Raven had been standing in a different position when she had done the spell, she might not have been thrown so mercilessly against the ground.

_I will wake you, one way or another,_ Starfire promised, hoping that somehow, Raven's telepathic abilities would allow her to hear.

* * *

For the next week, Starfire refused to leave Raven's side, even for food or water. Beast Boy or Cyborg would bring her something, and she would eat it, but everything tasted like sand to her.

She pleaded with Cyborg—who was in charge of the infirmary—every day to let her try the vision cure. Cyborg would humor Starfire's claims of Raven having ceaseless visions and run tests, but none of the results would indicate that Raven was having visions. No matter how Starfire railed and screamed that it was perfectly possible that human instruments could not detect Raven's visions, the decision was final: modern medicine or nothing.

It made Starfire furious. Raven was only one-quarter human; who was to say that a test meant only for humans wasn't infallible? Besides, Raven's hair had grown down to her waist during one fit; hadn't that happened once when Slade had forced her into a vision? How could anyone say that there wasn't something inhuman going on with Raven?

After watching her precious teammate endure tumultuous visions for ten days, Starfire couldn't stand waiting anymore. The boys were apparently being irrational and, remembering a warning from Raven that said Earth boys were never logical, decided to take matters into her own hands.

She got her chance when the HIVE Five at attempted a robbery on a jewelry store. Cyborg and Beast Boy tried to stop them alone. Starfire was sure that chances of the HIVE graduates succeeding were high, but naturally, she stubbornly refused to leave Raven.

While the boys were gone, Starfire carried her wounded friend's inert body to her bathroom. Unwilling to strip Raven while she was unconscious, Starfire laid a towel on the floor and rested the hybrid on top, not wanting to place Raven on the cold, hard tile. She carefully rolled Raven's sleeves all the way up to rub the healing herbs into her bare skin.

At first, it seemed to have no effect. Starfire knew she should be patient, for the herbs could not possibly work immediately, but after long, excruciating minutes of waiting, the Tamaranian girl's heart sank. She tried again, rubbing the herb-laden cloth over Raven's arms so hard the skin began to peel, but still there was no response from the girl on the floor.

Weeping helplessly, Starfire gathered Raven up and rocked her. "I don't know what to do, Raven," the alien croaked. "I cannot help you!"

Starfire gently rested her friend's head on her shoulder, the way Raven would have done herself if she had been conscious. "I can no longer do anything but pray. You must wake, Raven, please…I need you…" Starfire's slow tears dripped into Raven's hair.

After a long, desperate stretch of time, Starfire thought she heard a familiar voice; weak and quiet, but blessedly familiar.

_I'm dreaming,_ Starfire thought sullenly. _I wish I was not dreaming, but Raven couldn't have spoken…if it takes this long for her to wake…she's gone…_

But then, Raven stirred. Starfire shook her. "Raven? You are…awake? Please be awake…"

Raven's head lolled back lifelessly; Starfire shouted in sorrow and anger. She had thought, for one second…

Raven's eyes cracked open. "Star…?"

"Raven!" Starfire clasped the limp girl tightly. "You have awakened!" The redhead kissed Raven's hair and whispered words of celebration and thankfulness in Tamaranian.

"Starfire…" Raven groaned, still too weak to return Starfire's embrace. "What…what happened?"

"You were suffering from constant visions," the alien replied tenderly. "You just woke. I was worried you were lost to me forever."

"Forget me…are you OK?"

Starfire blinked. "You have been in a vision-induced coma for ten days and you are inquiring about _my_ health?"

"Did you…did you get out…of the cave all right?"

"I blasted my way out with starbolts…is your head still painful?"

Raven ignored this question and responded with one of her own. "Did…Slade hurt you?"

"Slade turned to dust when you destroyed his master," Starfire assured her. "Raven…was I correct in believing that you were unable to wake due to your visions?"

The telepath nodded listlessly. "Yeah…why…why is my hair long?"

"It grew during one of your visions."

Raven moaned. "Ugh…now I'll have to cut it…"

"Please don't. It's beautiful."

"You just…want to braid it," the smaller girl quipped.

Starfire smiled; even though she had nearly died, Raven still had the gumption to be cynical.

"This is what a demon's hair looks like, Star. I don't want to be a demon."

"Perhaps you could style it differently, but please leave it long. It makes you even lovelier."

"All right. Just for you."

"Would you prefer to return to your room, or the infirmary?"

"My room. Please."

Starfire carried her beloved teammate to her bed and covered her with the sheets. "You are comfortable?"

"Yes." Raven's eyes began to leisurely drift shut before snapping open. "Star, what happened to the book I used to trap my father?"

"I retrieved it." Starfire soothed her companion. "I did not want to enter your room without your permission, so I stored it in my room."

"Nothing went wrong? The spell held?"

"Yes…please calm yourself, my little one. You have just recovered from a grave injury."

Starfire climbed into bed with Raven and ran a caressing hand down her back. She felt her teammate's muscles unclench beneath her touch.

"I will stay with you," Starfire proclaimed.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. What else would I do?"

"…I don't know. Whatever you want, I guess."

"I want to stay," the alien replied loyally, linking one arm with Raven's.

"Thank you, Starfire…" the smaller Titan trailed off as she drifted into a peaceful slumber.

Starfire unpinned Raven's cloak and folded it, hoping she would be more comfortable without it. She glanced down at her friend and giggled; Raven looked so adorable when she was sleeping.

It wasn't long before Cyborg and Beast Boy knocked at Raven's door.

"Raven? You in there?"

Starfire answered. Beast Boy blinked in confusion when he saw her. "Star?"

"Raven is no longer unconscious. I administered the cure for her visions and she woke. She is sleeping now and does not wish to be disturbed." Starfire reported.

"Uh, Starfire, why are you in Raven's room?" Cyborg wanted to know.

"I wish to make sure she is all right," Starfire declared, telling a lie of omission. She closed the door and flew back to Raven, alighting softly on the mattress so she wouldn't disturb her friend's rest.

"You have been through so much," the extraterrestrial murmured to the sleeping girl. "I can only hope no more terrible situations will arise…"

* * *

A/N: I hate Slade; he's such a perv. He's a necessary villain for the show, because the other villains would get boring after a while, but I just had to kill him. 


	7. Picking Up the Pieces

Unseen Forces

Chapter Seven: Picking Up the Pieces

Summary: Trigon has been trapped forever, but Raven does not believe that all the loose ends are tied up…for instance, she isn't sure her relationship with Starfire is secure.

Disclaimer: If I owned Teen Titans, there would be a way for Raven to force Trigon to leave her alone forever, Beast Boy would have a moped, Terra would be alive (but not paired off with Beast Boy), there would be more episodes with Blackfire in them, and Slade would NOT be working for Trigon. So needless to day, I don't own the show.

Pairings: RaeStar now…you no like, you no read!

Author's Notes: Though my disclaimer clearly states I don't own the show, I did create Estela Aguilar/"Fuega" and she is MINE. And I really hope I spelled "_Capuera_" correctly; it's a martial art developed by South American slaves.

* * *

Raven recuperated slowly; it took a few days for her to walk without her legs trembling. Starfire refused point-blank to leave Raven's room, despite the empath's protests that Starfire should pursue her own interests and not take responsibility for Raven's recovery. 

Sometimes, at night, Raven would fall asleep to the soothing rhythm of Starfire caressing her back (which actually helped quell her powers), wondering uneasily if she deserved such constant, gentle care—especially from a Tamaranian princess who surely had better things to do.

But Starfire adamantly stuck by Raven's side, claiming that, of any of the things she could have done, being with Raven was her first choice. If the telepath wanted to read or meditate, the extraterrestrial would sit nearby and read Tamaranian verse or watch documentaries on fungi.

It soon became apparent that a new young superhero was needed in the Tower. The four remaining Titans took a vote, and it was decided that auditions would be held for a fifth team member. Four Titans simply wasn't enough; this had been proven after a particularly tough battle with Johnny Rancid. Crime-fighting with four super-powered teens was possible, but grueling.

The word was spread using superhero channels, in hopes of avoiding every powerless wannabe kid swarming the tower and begging for Robin's vacated position. There were surprisingly few responses, and they were all from undiscovered teens with paranormal gifts. The spot was given to a girl from Gotham City named Estela Aguilar, a stubborn, clever, dark-haired-dark-skinned-bright-eyed pyrokinetic who also knew _capuera_ very well. Estela took the name Fuega when she joined the team.

Raven's meditative sessions were becoming more frequent. She also began having difficulty sleeping again, despite Starfire's presence. During the night, while the Tamaranian slumbered, Raven would pace, her mind chasing idea after idea, tracing circles, pondering viciously.

The subject of Raven's midnight agonizing was the book that imprisoned her father.

Her temporary release of Malchior proved that a skilled, determined witch or wizard could perform the countercurse. So she had to take precautions to ensure that Trigon would remain in the blank-dimension book forever. More enchantments would help, but again, they could be broken. She had considered destroying the book, but that option raised two questions: one, was the book destructible, and two, if it was, would Trigon be destroyed as well or would he simply be released? If she hid or buried the book, it might eventually be found. She wanted to make sure no one would ever discover that wretched tome…or what it concealed.

It was not as severe a problem as the dilemma of how to stop the prophecy, but it certainly agitated Raven. She wanted her father imprisoned forever, if not annihilated.

None of Raven's books described how to completely obliterate a dimension that held the source of all evil. She was working purely by intuition.

Of course, Starfire noticed her friend's anxiety. She tried—more subtly at first—to get Raven to say what was on her mind by whispering to her every night, "You know I will always love you, and you can tell me anything…you know that, Raven, do you not?" This tactic had no success; the young enchantress would always smile sadly up at the alien and say nothing. It never crossed Raven's mind that Starfire was trying to ask what was wrong; she only thought of Starfire's optimistic naïveté and how their relationship could not possibly last more than a few months.

So Starfire decided to take a more direct approach.

One day while the Tamaranian was braiding Raven's long hair (the mage had cut her bangs to the length the rest of her hair used to be, and snipped two inches off the bottom to even it out) she spoke up.

"Raven…?" Starfire inquired tentatively as she tied off the end of the thick plait. "Something is on your mind?"

"What…oh. It's nothing you need to worry about, Star. I don't want to dump this on you like I do everything else."

Starfire chewed her lip. "You are being…metaphorical? No, that was a simile."

"You're learning." The telepath nearly smiled.

"Your struggles are my struggles. I will try to help you, if possible."

Raven inhaled deeply. "Well…it's the book I trapped my father in. I don't know what to do with if. If I destroy it, he might be released, and if I hide it, it could be found. I could keep it, but I'm not immortal; I couldn't keep it safe forever."

Rather ponderously, Starfire wrapped her arms around Raven's waist. (Raven found herself wondering how that could possibly help Starfire think.) "Hmm…you say you wish it to never be found?"

"That would be the optimal situation."

"I believe I know a way to ensure that. Where is the book?"

"I'll get it." Raven morphed into her soulself to allow for more speed in reaching her room and retrieving the book. "Okay, here it is," she said upon returning, handing the volume to Starfire. "What's your plan?"

Starfire took her teammate's hand and led her to the roof.

"What are we doing up here?" The empath wanted to know.

Clutching the unholy book in one hand, Starfire bent backward as far as she could, then snapped back upright, releasing the hardback as she brought it over her head. The book was flung with incredible speed; actually, it reached escape velocity and was vaulted into the void of space.

"There," Starfire said, satiated. "Now no one will ever find it."

Raven stood there, rather stupefied; now the book would float forever in a black vacuum, where no self-respecting being would ever go. It was a perfect and completely obvious solution.

Raven felt utterly stupid. "In the good name of Lady Azar, I feel _dumb,_" Raven groaned, leaning on Starfire.

The extraterrestrial giggled and embraced Raven happily. "There is no need to feel lacking in mental capacity, my friend. You are very intelligent; you merely over-thought the situation. You took it a bit too seriously…rather like…"

Raven laid a finger on Starfire's lips. "Don't talk about him. We should be glad now, and if _I'm _saying that, then it has to be true."

"I concur." Starfire laid her cheek atop Raven's head. "We have so much about which to be glad. Starting with us."

Raven accepted Starfire's hug, but remained silent.

* * *

Cyborg and Beast Boy were entirely absorbed in their competitive videogame, oblivious to the fact that, behind them, Raven was perched in Starfire's lap, reading. Fuega was also there, standing over the two boys, cheering enthusiastically in a mix of Spanish and English. 

Starfire was perfectly content to be around Raven. In fact, Raven had noticed that when she and her companion were separated, Starfire seemed restless and unhappy; at least, that was what Raven's empathic sensors told her when she felt the need to check up on Starfire. However, when the two girls were together, you didn't have to be an empath to tell how cheerful the alien was.

Even when Starfire was not tangibly close to Raven, the half-demon still could feel her presence in a way that had nothing to do with her powers. She would even smile sometimes, for no apparent reason. Beast Boy had once asked her if she was feeling all right after noticing this fact, and if Beast Boy noticed something, it must be pretty obvious.

Starfire, on the other hand, seemed to need to be physically around her favorite friend simply to be content. She only smiled when she was near Raven.

_I've stolen her smile_, Raven thought morbidly as she leaned back against Starfire's warmth.

They had been able to spend more time together since the resolution of the Trigon-book situation. The boys were much too wrapped up in their own dealings (Beast Boy was job-searching for money to buy a moped again with limited luck, Cyborg was either laughing at Beast Boy or working on the T-Car or T-Ship) to notice what was going on between the two female members of their team. Fuega was sharper than the boys and had quickly figured it out, but she had promised not to say anything. (Her exact words were, "_No se preocupen, amigas; cuando me dice una secreta, _I keep my mouth shut. _Los chicos locos_ will never know." Neither Raven nor Starfire knew exactly what she meant, but they gathered that she was going to keep their secret.)

A beast of guilt was growing inside Raven, gnawing sickeningly at the walls of her stomach. She felt as if she was stealing from Starfire, taking away precious time that the alien might have spent doing something else, like walking Silkie instead of meditating with Raven, or watching late-night _Discovery Channel_ specials instead of helping her telekinetic friend fall asleep.

Raven felt like a leech.

She felt as if her relationship with Star was not mutualism—with both members benefiting—but parasitism, with Raven slowly sucking the life and soul out of Starfire. And, after all, if Raven really cared about her teammate, shouldn't she try to stop being such a parasite?

_What am I doing to Starfire? Is this going to get to the point where all she does, period, is hang around me? Until she's just a shell for me to…feed upon?_

The Azarathean knew she was being melodramatic, but still, whenever she looked down at her hand holding Starfire's, she was reminded of a bloodsucking insect or some disgusting white tumor growing on the alien's flawless, tanned skin.

_It's not healthy for her, the way she hangs around me. And even though I'm technically not a parasitic organism, I'm still half demon…and besides, who wants to be around me all the time?_

Sometimes, when Raven would meditate, she would try to dissuade Starfire from doing so as well. With just as much persistence, Starfire would maintain that meditation was helping her emotionally-driven powers as well.

There were other times, too, when Raven would tell Starfire as point-blank as possible (without causing injury to the Tamaranian's sensitive feelings) that some time alone might be healthy, even enjoyable. Again, Starfire would decline the suggestion and insist upon staying at Raven's side.

So, one night, as Raven received her nightly backstroke, she pulled away from Starfire and took her teammate's hand. "Star, I can't do this to you."

Starfire blinked in typically adorable confusion. "Do what to me? You have been nothing but kind to me since…"

"Starfire, what did you like to do before all of this…meaning us…happened?"

The redhead considered. "I would walk Silkie…although I still do that, of course, that is the only time that I do not spend with you…I would watch interesting programs of the television—er, TV shows—I would socialize with my friends, I would journey to the mall of shopping…"

"Except for walking Silkie, when was the last time you did any of those things?"

"I…um…I did watch The Channel of Learning a few days ago…"

"You had to think about it. You are spending too much time with me than is healthy for you. And you have to admit…you can do _so_ much better than me."

"But I choose to be with you." Starfire clung to Raven's hand, as if the smaller girl was about to fade from sight.

"You're going to crush my fingers."

"Do you not enjoy my company? Do you not wish to be near me?"

"Of course I do, but this is _you_ we're talking about. Is being around me really all you want to do? Or do you just feel sorry for me, and that's why you seem to be my new Siamese twin?"

"I love you." Starfire whimpered.

"I know," Raven sighed, resting a soothing hand on Star's cheek.

"Don't you feel the same way? Are you attempting to rescind your feelings for me?"

"No! No, Starfire, of course not. I just think it would be best for you if we…split up…for a while." Raven kissed the alien's lips gently, as if in apology.

"No…" the Tamaranian moaned, squeezing Raven's body tightly against hers.

"I just want what's best for you, Star." The telepath wiped a stray tear from Starfire's cheek. "Maybe you'll decide I'm not so great. And if you don't…it isn't forever."

"But I do not want this! I want to stay with you!"

"I know, I know…shhhh…you'll thank me later." Raven caressed Starfire's back with one hand. "I promise."

"And if I cannot stand being alone…I can come back to you?"

"Of course. But now, I think you should leave."

"Can I not stay the night?"

"It'd be best if you didn't."

"I will miss you." The extraterrestrial girl's eyes brimmed again.

"I'll miss you too."

Starfire stood, still grasping Raven's hand.

"You have to let go," the empath said, almost tenderly.

Slowly, Starfire obeyed. "Good night, friend." Her voice broke.

"Good night, Starfire."

As it shut, the door moved so gradually, it seemed to be stuck in molasses.

* * *

"Yo, Star!" 

The alien let out a shriek and dodged, narrowly avoiding being hit by an airborne SUV. Johnny Rancid's newest mechanical toy, a giant lizard (apparently, he had been watching _Godzilla_ far too much), was swinging its massive spiked tail into random objects, sending them flying.

"Keep your head up, Starfire!" Cyborg warned her as he charged at the robotic reptile, firing bursts from his sonic cannon.

"Right!" Starfire called limply, rubbing her eyes. She had not been able to sleep the past few nights. She strongly suspected this had something to do with having to slumber alone. Without Raven lying beside her, the night seemed immense and icy and threatening.

The alien's eyelids began to drift shut.

"Star, wake up."

Starfire shook herself.

Raven was hovering next to her. "Are you all right?"

"I am terribly fatigued," Starfire whispered.

"Don't get hit by anything, okay?" The telekinetic young woman floated off to join the battle. Starfire followed, forcing her exhausted body into motion.

Floating a few yards above the colossal robot, Starfire sent a barrage of starbolts down onto its head, hoping to neutralize it. Unfortunately, all she did was irritate it. It swiveled to face her, opening its mouth to send a blazing miniature inferno directly at the Tamaranian.

Too slow to react, Starfire simply raised one arm to block her face from the searing heat; but a split second before she was incinerated, she felt the blistering heat vanish, and she glanced around to see Fuega, obvious in her usual crimson and black, standing on the ground beneath her, using her pyrokinesis to redirect the tongue of flame.

"You okay, _amiga_?" Fuega shouted.

"I am unscathed, thanks to you." Starfire barely had energy to form the sentence.

Behind her, Starfire heard a familiar sound of black magic taking shape, and she found herself enveloped in the cool shimmering wings of Raven's soulself.

Raven set Starfire down on the sidewalk. From habit, or maybe from instinct, Star reached out with both arms and pulled the hybrid close to her.

"You're strangling me, Starfire."

Starfire silently refused to let go.

"What's wrong? You almost got killed twice today. Are you sick?"

"No. I am exhausted. You see, I cannot sleep without you there."

Raven sighed. Starfire wasn't sure if it was a sound of exasperation or pity.

"You should get back to the Tower before you get hurt. Try and get some sleep."

"I cannot. Not without you."

"Did you try meditating, like I showed you, before you slept?"

"Yes."

"You should still go back to the Tower. You can't fight when you're this tired."

"Are you not weary as well? Or have you been able to sleep without me?"

"I can sleep, but not for long, and not without nightmares," Raven smirked grimly.

"Why are we doing this, then?"

"Go back to the Tower. We're in a vulnerable position here."

"Raven…"

"Go. I don't want to see you hurt. We can talk when the rest of the team gets back."

Starfire nodded. Slowly unwrapping her arms from around Raven, she lifted into the sky. The empath stood and flew back into the battle.

The flight back to the Titans' home was cold and lonely, reminding Starfire horribly of the long sleepless nights she had experienced in the past week.

When she arrived at the Tower, she entered her room and lay on her bed, curling her body into a fetal position.

The other Titans arrived about twenty minutes later. Starfire heard them clamoring as they came in.

Raven used her powers to open Starfire's door. "So I guess you couldn't sleep," she commented as she alighted on the bed next to her friend.

"No," Starfire replied miserably. "I have gone been a week without you, and so I have gone a lonely week without sleep or happiness."

"It can't be that bad."

"It is. I miss you. Do you not miss me as well?"

"What do you think?" Raven gently ran her fingers through Starfire's soft red mane. "I can't braid my own hair, for one thing."

Starfire giggled and sat up. "If we both are so forlorn, why are we apart? Can we not be together again?"

"I was hoping you'd realize that you deserve better than me, but…I guess I was wrong."

"So we are…oh, what is that Earth expression…"

Raven slipped her arms around Starfire's waist. "I'll teach it to you later."

The redheaded girl embraced her friend tightly. "I love you. Please, never request that we will be 'split up' again."

"I won't. I love you, Starfire." Raven tucked her head under Starfire's chin, leaving a trail of soft little nips down her teammate's neck. Starfire sighed happily as she stroked Raven's loose violet hair.

"I must braid your hair immediately. That is…as soon as I let go of you."

"That's going to be…what, another ten years?"

"Most likely, my dear friend."

Cyborg appeared in the doorway. "Star? Just making sure you were okay…Raven? What are you doing here?"

"What does it look like?" Raven queried rather irritably, tracing circles on Starfire's back.

Fuega and Beast Boy came into view behind Cyborg.

"Dude!" Beast Boy's ears quivered. "Raven…and Starfire…urghhh…"

The shape-shifter keeled over in a faint. After a few seconds, he leapt up again, squealing with laughter. "HA HA! RAVEN AND STARFIRE ARE…"

Fuega set the seat of Beast Boy's pants aflame. "¡_Vete a la miedra, chico_! Can't you leave the poor girls alone?"

Beast Boy ran helplessly in circles, shrieking. When it became apparent that he wasn't going to think of a way to quench the flame, Fuega sighed and extinguished it herself. "_Sí vas a molestarse a tus amigas, va a hacer un incendio en tu parte posterior,_" she snapped.

"Huh?"

"If you tease Raven and Starfire, I'll set your butt on fire again," Fuega smirked.

"Wait a minute, _you_ knew about this?" Cyborg poked Fuega's arm.

The pyromancer shrugged, "_Sí, pero no soy una micrófona. _I swore to keep their secret."

"Many thanks, friend Fuega," Starfire chuckled.

"So, uh, how long have you two officially been hooked up?" Cyborg questioned.

Raven thought about that. "Officially…hmm, about five seconds."

"Okay, I'm confused," Beast Boy groaned.

"Just leave us alone, will you?" Raven shook her head.

Fuega threateningly held up a flame-tipped index finger.

"OK, we're out of here," Beast Boy bolted before Fuega could set his backside ablaze.

The telepath reached out with a black tendril of power and closed the door. "Now that we're alone…what should we do?"

"I just want to hold you, my beloved friend." Starfire kissed Raven's forehead.

"That sounds good," the smaller girl sighed, pressing herself lightly against Starfire. She still had to mentally repeat her mantra to keep her powers under control, but who cared?

"Do you believe you deserve me now?"

"Yeah, Star…I think I do."

* * *

Fin. 

A/N: Yes, I'm a sucker for happy endings. But come on; Raven went through enough crap in this fic, don't you think she deserves a happy ending?

Also, I apologize to Robin/Starfire fans for everything that happened in this fic.

Yes, I know this story contains a lot of OOC-ness, but that is the "fiction" in "fanfiction."

Finally, this will probably be my last Rae/Star fic. All my future TT fics will be either pairing-less or, well…I don't know.


	8. Notes and Sarcasm

Twelve Easy Steps to Stop Writing Shoujo/Shonen-Ai Fanfiction

Summary: This is not a fic, merely something fanfiction-related that I was having fun with and decided to post. Come on, Mary Sue tests and "Which Teen Titan are you?" quizzes aren't really fics either, right?

Disclaimer: If I owned Teen Titans, there would be a way for Raven to force Trigon to leave her alone forever, Beast Boy would have a moped, Terra would be alive (but not paired off with Beast Boy), there would be more episodes with Blackfire in them, and Slade would NOT be working for Trigon. So needless to day, I don't own the show.

Pairings: anything not shoujo-ai or shonen-ai

Author's Notes: Please humor me here; I'm just poking fun at the prejudiced people. And I thought that, since this piece stems from my experiences as a writer, this is better suited as an author's note accompanying one of my shoujo-ai fics.

* * *

Step 1) Stop looking for hints of your favorite shoujo/shonen-ai pairings when you watch TV.

Step 2) If you had trouble with step 1, keep a thumbtack in your pocket when you're watching the TV. Poke yourself in the palm of your non-dominant hand when you find yourself thinking of shoujo/shonen-ai hints.

Step 3) Start looking for hints of canon pairings in your favorite TV shows.

Step 4) Stop reading other people's shoujo/shonen-ai.

Step 5) Start reading fanfics that involve canon pairings.

Step 6) When your friends bring up shoujo/shonen-ai, change the subject.

Step 7) Eat cheese if you've gotten this far.

Step 8) Remember that thumbtack from step 2? Carry it around with you all the time (not just while watching TV) and poke yourself if you find yourself thinking of shoujo/shonen-ai.

Step 9) If you are one of those people who dreams about their fics, think about something completely unrelated to shoujo/shonen-ai before sleeping to ensure that your dreams will remain untainted.

Step 10) If step 9 didn't work, take that good ol' thumbtack and poke yourself in the temple six times after waking, saying, "Bad brain! BAD!" with each consecutive jab.

Step 11) Delete and/or stop reading all of your previous devious shoujo/shonen-ai fics.

Step 12) Eat more cheese, because after completing step 11, you should no longer feel compelled to write shoujo/shonen-ai. If you, unfortunately, still find yourself wanting to write shoujo/shonen-ai, carry the DVD case of _Monty Python and the Holy Grail_ around with you. When shoujo/shonen-ai crosses your mind, take the DVD case out and sing "Pie Jesu Domine," whack yourself smartly in the forehead with the DVD case, sing "Dona Eis Requiem," and whack yourself again. Repeat until someone yells, "Get AHOLD of yourself!" and snatches the DVD case away.

Step 13) If you are finally successful, watch _Monty Python and the Holy Grail_ while eating cheese-flavored popcorn. Wait a minute, that was 13 steps. Oh well.

Though I invented this miraculous 12—no, 13—step program, it worked wonders for me. I encourage all of my fellow shoujo/shonen-ai-plagued writers to try it out!

Note: everything you just read was completely and entirely sarcastic. If you believed for any length of time that I was being serious, go engage in a procreative anatomical impossibility until you get carpal tunnel syndrome.

Thanks to swimbike and Jimaine for inspiration, and Uncle John's "Slightly Irregular" Bathroom Reader for the euphemism for "go f--- yourself."


End file.
